BASSE RES 
Habits and Nidification. The members of this family frequent rocks and trees, 
climbing upwards in search of their food which consists of insects and their larva. The 
species of the genera Certhia, Tichodroma and Climacteris build a soft nest in cavities of trees 
or crevices of rocks (Tichodroma). The eggs (variable in number from three to nine) are white 
or flesh colour, speckled and blotched with reddish brown, Salpornis makes an exception to 
this rule (see below). 
Bibliography. Gadow, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. Vol. 8, pp. 322-340 (1883); Hellmayr, Tierreich, Liyr. 18, 
pp. 204-229 (1903); Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 50, Pt. 3, pp. 459-473 (1904). 
KEY TO THE GENERA OF CERTHIIDA: 
1. Tail shorter than wing, even or slightly rounded, with retrices broad, soft and rounded 
GL LPY Car OS, Gs Be Re OS EE Se ee co ee eee 
— Tail equal to, or slightly longer than wing, graduated, with rectrices vigid and 
acwmuiateatiip 3 4 Soa EM ee an ee ee ee eee Ole Genmsue pein 
2. Bill nearly twice as long as head, depressed ; citlmen almost straight with extreme tip 
but slightly decurved. Tongue divided at tip, without any bristles. A considerable 
amount of ved on vemiges and upper wing coverts. . . . . . . . . . 3. Genus TicHopRoMA. 
— Bill about equal to, or but slightly longer than head; culmen, at least in teyminal 
half, distinctly curved. Tongue with numerous bristles. No ved on remiges nor on 
Up peveW ie COUCHES <0) ea ee ee ECO ee al ee ee 
. Genus SALPORNIS. 
N 
3. First primary extremely small and narrow, not reaching beyond tip of primary coverts. 
— First primary well-developed, broad, somewhat shorter than half the second . . . . . . . « « 2 Ge 
4. Bill decidedly shorter than head, with culmen curved for its whole length . . . . 4. Genus CLIMACTERIS. 
— Bill decidedly longer than head, with culmen nearly straight for its basal half. 5. Genus RHABDORNIS. 
1. GENUS CERTHIA LINN42us 
Certhia Linneus, Syst Nat. ed. 10, p. 118 (1758) (Type by elimination : Cevthia familiaris Linnzeus). 
Certhius Olphe-Galliard, Ornith. Eur. occid., fase. 23, p. 41 (1888) (nom. emend.). 
Characters. Bill variable as to relative length and degree of curvature, sometimes 
decidedly shorter than head and nearly straight, sometimes much longer than head and 
strongly curved, always laterally much compressed; culmen slightly ridged, ending in an 
acute point, gonys nearly straight or slightly concave; maxillary tomium without trace of 
subterminal notch. Nostrils basal, longitudinal, exposed, overhung by a broad operculum 
which anteriorly does not reach to anterior end of nasal fossa. Tongue long, narrow, corneous, 
terminating in about five bristles. Rictal bristles scarcely apparent. Wing moderately long, 
rounded; fourth and fifth primaries longest, sixth scarcely shorter; second primary falling 
between seventh and eighth; first primary somewhat less than half as long as second. Tail 
about as long as wing, sometimes very slightly longer, distinctly graduated, the rectrices with 
rigid and acuminate tips. Tarsus slender, somewhat shorter than middle toe with claw, the 
acrotarsium distinctly scutellate; outer toe much longer than inner, but somewhat shorter 
than the middle one; hallux intermediate in length between outer and inner toes; basal phalanx 
