( 473 ) 



WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 



SlTTA CAROLINENSIS, BriSSON. 



PLATE CLII. Vol. II. p. 290. 



This lively roamer of our forests extends its rambles from the 

 Texas, where I found it abundant, to the shores of the Columbia River, 

 from which country specimens were brought by Dr Townsend. It is 

 not mentioned as having been found in the Fiu" Countries. 



On the roof of the mouth are three anterior ridges, of which the mid- 

 dle is larger ; both mandibles are shghtly concave, the lower vpith a me- 

 dian elevated line. Tongue 6 twelfths long, emarginate and finely pa- 

 pillate at the base, slender, very thin, the point abrupt, and terminated by 

 several strong bristles. CEsophagus, «, 5 c, 1 inch 10 twelfths long, funnel- 

 shaped at the commencement, its width being there 4 twelfths, and then 

 gradually diminishing to 2 twelfths. The stomach, cd,\s rather large, 

 broadly elliptical, 7^ twelfths long, 6 twelfths broad ; its lateral muscles 

 thin ; the epitheUum slightly rugous. It is filled 

 with insects and larvas. Intestine, efg h, rather 

 short and wide, 7 inches in length, its greatest 

 width 2 twelfths ; the rectum, ij, 3 twelfths wide; 

 the cloaca 4 twelfths; the coeca, *, 2 twelfths long, 

 f twelfth' in breadth, and 10 twelfths from the 

 extremity. The trachea is 1| inch long, 1 twelfth 

 in breadth ; its rings feeble, 75 in number. The 

 sterno-tracheal muscles very slender ; the infe- 

 rior laryngeal form on each side a small knob, 

 inserted into the last half ring in its whole ex- 

 tent. Bronchial half rings about 12. There 

 is on each side an elongated salivary gland, about 

 I twelfth in breadth. The hyoid bones are not 

 unusually elongated. In the form of the tongue 

 the Nuthatches resembles the Titmice. 



