334 messrs. robinson and kloss on 



sittidae. 



Nuthatches. 



(Underparts paler .. .. .. Dondrophlla f. frontalis 



I Undei-parts darker .. .. .. .. D. f. saturata 



482. Dendrophila frontalis frontalis (Swains.). 

 Sitta frontalis, Swainson, Zool. 111. (1) 1820-1, pi. 2 (Ceylon)*; C. 



i, p. 134 (Tenasserim) ; M., ]). 197 (Tung Song). 

 Dendroj)hila frontalis, A., pp. 201, 507 (Tavoy to Bankasoon) ; B., 



p. 20 (JuAk Seylon). 

 Dendrophila saturatior, H., p. 109 (Bandon). 

 Sitta frontalis frontalis, M. 2, p. 132, pi. iii (partim : Burma ; Siam 



South to 9 N.). 



2 2. Tasan, P. Siam, 16 March 1919 [Nos. 4629-30]. 



1 2 . Hat Sanuk, S. W. Siam, 12 April 1919 [No. 5259]. 



" Iris greenish j^ellow ; bill coral, black at extreme tip ; feet 

 dark brown." 



Total length $ , 124, 130, 125 ; wing 72, 73, 73; tail 45, 43, 

 44 ; tarsus 15, 15.5, 17 : bill from gape 17, 17, 17 mm. 



Birds from Java and Annam are inseparable, and are fronta- 

 II f^ Horf. and velata Temm. (PI. Col. pi, 72, fig 3) : they do not seem, 

 to differ from the Ceylon bird. 



Lacking Indian material we are not in a position to review 

 this species, but it is possible that in India there are two forms : — a 

 southern, smaller one, D. /'. frontalis (Swains.), based on birds from 

 Ceylon : a northern, larger one, D. f. corallina (Hodgs.), based on 

 birds from the Himalayas (vide Sharpe, Stray Feathers, iii, 1875, 

 p. 436). 



Then, in the southern half of the Malay Peninsula, occurs a 

 well-marked dark-breasted race, D. f saturatior (Hartert): the point 

 where it ceases and meets the paler northern form is indefinite, but 

 birds belong to it at least as far north as Nakorn Sritamarat, Penin- 

 sular Siam. 



* Has priority over Sitta frontalis Horsf., Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, 

 1821, p. 162 (Java)! 



A. Hiiine & Davison, Stray Feathers, vi, 1878. E. O. Grant, Fasciculi Malayenses. iii (Birds), 1905. 



B. Miiller, Die Ornis dor Inscl SalanKa. 1882. F. Robinson and Kloss. Ibis, 1910-11. 



C. Oates, Birds Brit. Burmah, Vols. i. irii, 1883. G. Gairdner, .Tourn. N.H. Soc. Siam, i, 1915. 



D. Bonhote, P.Z. S. 1901, Vol. i. H. Robinson, Journ. F. M. S. Museums, v, 1915 



JOURN. NAT. HIST. SOC. SIAM. 



