1884."] MR. G. E. DOBSON ON CAPROMYS MELANURUS. 233 



(i. On an apparently new Species of European Nuthatch. 

 ByR. Bowdler SharpBj F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c., Department 

 of Zoology, British Museum. 



[Received March 29, 1884.] 



Mr. John Whitehead, who lias been resident in Corsica for the 

 greater part of the last two years, has very kindly presented to the 

 British Museum a skin of a Nuthatch, shot by himself on the 

 mountains of Corsica at a considerable elevation during an expedition 

 in search of an Eagle's nest. 



The Corsican Nuthatch, which I propose to call Sitta whiteheadi 

 after its discoverer, is of about the same size as Kriiper's Nuthatch 

 (Sitta krueperi), and resembles it in the colour of the upper 

 surface ; but it is easily distinguished by the absence of the chestnut 

 patch on the fore neck and vent and hy the ashy isabelline colour of 

 the underparts. 



The head is rather damaged, and it is difficult to say how far the 

 black of the forehead reaches, but it apparently extends to about 

 the same distance as in S. krueperi, and not over the entire crown 

 and nape as in S. canadensis and its allies. The diagnosis of the 

 new species may, therefore, be given as follows : — 



Sitta whiteheadi, sp. n. 



S. simi/is S. krueperi, capite eodem modo picturalo sed gutture et 

 pectore pallide cinerascentibus, subcaudalibus haud castaneo 



lavatis et preecipue play a pectorali casta neu nulla distinguendu. 



Long. tot. 4-9, culm. 07, alee 27-3, caudce 1*5, tarsi 07. 

 Hab. Mountains of Corsica. 



7. On the Myology and Visceral Anatomy of Capromys 

 melanurus, with a Description of the Species. By G. E. 

 Dobson, M.A, F.R.S. 



[Received April 1, 1884.] 

 (Plates XVIII.-XXI.) 



The well-preserved specimens forming the material on which the 

 following observations are based I owe to the kindness of Messrs. H. 

 and F. W. Ramsden. They were obtained by the latter gentleman, 

 H.M.'s Consul at St. Jago de Cuba, in the mountains in the 

 southern extremity of that island, eight miles N.N.E. of Portillo. 



So far as I can ascertain these appear to be the first specimens of 

 this rare species of which the complete bodies preserved in alcohol 

 have reached Europe ; and I have therefore seized the opportunity 

 thus afforded me of investigating the anatomy of an animal belonging 

 to a genus so interesting as Capromys, which includes among its 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1884, No. XVI. 10 



