INSESSORES, CERTHIADiE. 383 



Europe, but very rare in Holland. It occurs also in Asia, 

 and in Africa, where probably it takes up its winter resi- 

 dence. 



Plate 38. Fig. Natural size. 



Bill yellovvish-broM'n. Ground colour of the head, back. General 

 wing-coverts, and rump, yellowish-grey, beautifully ^fscrip- 

 mottled with brown specks, and arrow-shaped black 

 bars. A list or streak of blackish-brown runs down the 

 upper mesial line, commencing at the nape of the neck, 

 and reaching to the lower part of the back. Tail long, 

 rounded, grey, mottled with brown, and with four black 

 bars. Wings barred Avith brownish-black, and wood- 

 brown. Chin and throat yellowish-white, with trans- 

 verse black bars. On each side of the breast is a patch 

 of wood-brown. Breast and belly white, with nume- 

 rous arrow-shaped black spots. Legs and toes wood- 

 brown. Irides chestnut-brown. 



The female differs in no respect from the male bird. 



Family III.— CERTHIAD^, Vig. 



The members of this family, nearly allied to the prece- 

 ding in their general habits of climbing, are separated from 

 them by the form of the feet, which, instead of having the toes 

 divided into pairs, have them disposed in the usual manner, 

 that is, with three toes before and one behind ; their length 

 and structure, however, (particularly that of the hind toe), 

 is such, as to render them equally efficient instruments for 

 scaling perpendicular surfaces, and even with the additional 

 power of moving in either an upward or downward direction. 

 This family, besides the genus Certhia (represented by our 

 native Creeper), contains various others, among which may 

 be enumerated Dendrocalaptes (Herm.), some species of 

 which, in the forms of the bill and tail, approach near to 



