190 SITTA 



6 eggs, which are white, marked with red, roundish in shape, 

 and somewhat resemble the eggs of Parus major, but are 

 rounder and more richly marked, and in size measure about 

 0.67 by 0-53. 



282. CORSICAN NUTHATCH. 

 SITTA WHITEHEADI. 



gitta whiteheadi, Sharpe, P.Z.S. 1884, p. 233, pi. xxxvi ; Whitehead r 

 Ibis, 1885, pi. ii ; Dresser, ix. p. 133, pi. 662. 



ad. (Corsica). Crown, nape, and a line passing over the ear-coverts 

 deep black ; superciliary stripe, sides of head, and under parts white ; 

 upper parts and central tail-feathers pale slate-blue, the latter with black 

 subterminal bands ; remaining tail-feathers black, tipped with white ; 

 quills blackish, externally margined with slate-blue ; bill blackish, light 

 blue at the base ; legs plumbeous ; iris brown. Culmen 0'7, wing 2'8 r 

 tail I '6, tarsus 0*8 inch. The female differs in being duller and having 

 the crown slate-grey tinged with black. 



Hob. Corsica, where it is resident. 



In general habits it resembles the other Nuthatches, and fre- 

 quents woods and groves. Its call-note is a soft whistle re- 

 peated quickly many times, often ending with a peculiar hissing 

 sound, sch-wer, sch-wer. It is tame and fearless, only moving a 

 short distance away when the nest is attacked. It excavates- 

 its nest in a rotten bough or tree trunk like Kruper's Nuthatch, 

 lining the hole with fine bark strips, moss, feathers, and hair, 

 and in May deposits 5 or 6 white eggs, thickly speckled with 

 deep red, in size about equal to those of Parus major, resem- 

 bling those of Sitta krueperi, but rather smaller and more boldly 

 marked. 



283. CHINESE NUTHATCH. 

 SITTA VILLOSA. 



Sitta villosa, Verr. Nouv. Archiv. Mus. Bull. 1. p. 78, pi. 5. fig. 1 (1865) 

 David and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 91, pi. 13 ; Gadow, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 viii. p. 355. 



Ad. (China). Differs from S. whiteheadi merely in having the black on 

 the crown extending to the upper part of the back, and the breast and 

 abdomen warm buff and not white. Culmen 0*67, wing 2*6, tail 1*4, tarsus 

 0'65 inch. 



Hal. Northern China, Alaschan and Kan-su, where it is 

 resident. 



It is said not to differ from S. whiteheadi in habits, and prob- 

 ably also not in nidification, but its nest and eggs are not known. 



