12 PASSERES 
4. GENUS CLIMACTERIS TEMMINCK 
Climacteris Temminck, Man. d’Ornith. ed. 2, Vol. 1, p. LXXXV (1820) (Species : Certhia scandens and 
C. picumnus). 
Characters. Bill shorter than head, decidedly compressed for its terminal half, somewhat 
broadened at base; culmen distinctly ridged, gradually curved from base to tip; gonys nearly 
straight. Tongue not divided at tip, covered all over with short bristles. Nostrils basal, 
longitudinal, distinctly operculate, exposed. No rictal bristles. Wing very much longer than 
tail, rather pointed; third and fourth primaries longest, fifth but little shorter; first primary 
considerably shorter than half the length of the second; second about equal to sixth. Secon- 
daries rather short, less than two-thirds of the length of the wing. Tail short, slightly rounded; 
rectrices broad, of nearly equai width and much rounded at tip. Tarsus robust, rather short, 
though slightly longer than middle toe without claw; acrotarsium booted; middle toe much 
longer than the lateral ones; outer toe adherent to middle toe for its basal phalanx; hallux long, 
though distinctly shorter than middle toe, its claw very long and strongly arched. 
Coloration. Variable, above either blackish rufescent- or olive brown, pileum sometimes 
paler, sometimes darker than black; rump and upper tail coverts often strongly contrasted with 
colour of mantle. Under parts, at least sides and flanks in most species streaked with white. 
A broad buff or pale rufous band across the wings always present. Sexes nearly alike, the 
differences restricted to markings on foreneck, chest or malar region. In most of the species, 
the females have the feathers of the chest edged with ferruginous or light chestnut, these edges 
being absent in the males. In C, melanota and C. picuimnus, the male has the foreneck spotted 
with dusky, the female with light chestnut. The females of C. flacens and C. scandens show a 
distinct golden- or orange yellow or rufous patch on the cheeks, below the ear coverts, which 
does not exist in the males. 
Geographical Distribution, Australia and New Guinea, 
Habits. The Tree-Creepers inhabit the White-gum and Eucalyptus forests as well as the 
flats studded with apple-trees. Habits and food resemble those of Certhia. The nest is placed 
in holes of trees and very often composed of hairs of the Opossum. The two eggs are reddish 
flesh-colour, thickly blotched all over with reddish brown. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF CLIMACTERIS °) 
N 
1. All the upper parts black or blackish brown . 
— Anterior upper parts olive-, rufescent- ov rufous brown, pileum some- 
times darker than back, vump and under tail coverts sometimes 
“I 
ashy grey . 
2. With a broad, buff superciliary stripe. . . . . . . . . . %3.(C. MELANOTA). 
— No superciliary stripe a aca ae ee anaes SMe tO Nee ee eee aa ar 4. 
ESATO OMIA ys 6 ol ee | So Oe eI ANON eye 
1) C. rufa obscura, unknown to the author, is not included in the key. 
