Australian Birds in the Collection of the Linnean Societi/. 297 



The species of the Linnean group of Sitta, although few in 

 number, appear to be found in all parts of the globe. They 

 exhibit little clift'erences among themselves in general characters. 

 Our New Holland species perhaps deviates from the type of the 

 genus, if we consider the S. Europœa of Linnœus to hold that 

 rank, more than any other species of the group. Its bill is more 

 slender, and its wings more acuminated. The second quill- 

 feather is nearly as long as the third, fourth, and fifth, which 

 are almost equal, and it is longer than the sixth ; whereas in 

 the European species the same feather is much shorter than the 

 third, and also falls short of the sixth. The Javanese species, 

 S. frontalis, Ilorsf., approaches our bird most nearly in respect 

 to these characters of the bill and winsfs. While the North 

 American bird, .S'. CaroUnensis, Briss., has nearly the same 

 formation of wing as our species, but has the stronger and more 

 lengthened bill of the European bird. 



Fam. CucuLiD.ï,. 



Genus. Cuculus. Linn, et Auct. 



* Alis acuminatis, caudâ longiori, tarsis brevibus plumis 



tibiarum tectis. 



1. Tnornatus. C. cinereus, suhtus pallidior, rectincibus fasciis "^ 



albis utrinque denticulatis. 



Fœm. ? Saturatiori-cinerea; micha, torqueque pectorali intei^rupto 

 fusco ferrugineo-luteo variegatis ; tectricibus albo et J'errn- 

 gineo-luteo parce notatis. 



Alœ macula longitudinali humerali notatte. Remiges fasciis 

 albis, usque ad tertiam partem longitudinis suae, interne 

 marginata?. Tectrices inferiores albidœ. Rectrices utrin- 

 que maculis albis denticulatœ. Rostrum nigrum, basi pal- 

 lidum. Pedes pallidi. Longitudo corporis, 12^ ; ahe a carpo 



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