SITTA CASIA. 
(COMMON NUTHATCH.) 
Le Torchepot, Brisson, Orn. i. p. 588 (1760). 
Sttta europea, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 261 (nec Linn. 1790). 
Sitta cesia, Wolf, Taschenb. deutsch. Vogelk. i. p. 128 (1810). 
Sttta pinetorum, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 205 (1831). 
Sitta foliorum, Brehm, tom. cit. p. 206 (1831). 
Sitta affinis, Blyth, J. As. Soc. Beng. xv. p. 288 (1846). 
Torchepot, French; Muratore, Italian; Spechtmeise, German; Boomklever, Dutch. 
Figure notabiles. 
Meyer u. Wolf, Taschenb. pl. to p. 128; Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. taf. xiv. fig. 4; Naum. 
Vog. Deutschl. v. taf. 139; Gould, B. Kur. ii. pl. 234; Kjerb. Orn. Dan. afb. x. fig. 6; 
Schl. Vog. Nederl. pl. 64; Fritsch, Vog. Eur. tab. 23. fig. 21. 
g ad. supra cerulescenti-cinereus, subtis pallidé ochrascenti-cinnamomeus : fascid a basi rostri per oculos 
usque ad nucham producta nigra: gulé genisque albis: hypochondriis ferrugineis: ala, caudd, sub- 
caudalibusque ut in Sittd europed picturatis: rostro corneo-fusco, subtuis versus basin albido: pedibus 
pallidé brunneis : iride griseo-fusca. 
@ vix a mari distinguenda. 
Juv. adulto similis sed paullo sordidior. 
Adult Male. Resembles Sitta europea, but has the upper parts, if any thing, rather duller in colour, and 
the underparts pale ochreous cinnamon instead of white: the throat and sides of the head below the 
moustachial streak are white; and the legs, instead of being plumbeous grey, are pale dull brown; bill 
similar to that of S. europea. ‘Total length 5:6 inches, culmen 0°7, wing 3:3, tail 1°8, tarsus 0:8. 
Female. Very similar to the male, but, if any thing, rather duller in colour. 
Young. The young bird of the year has the upper parts duller than in the adult plumage, and the under- 
parts duller and paler, the rufous colour on the flanks being also much duller. 
Obs. Specimens from Southern Europe have the underparts much richer-coloured than those from the north, 
British-killed examples being, so far as I can judge, the dullest in colour. 
This being the last of the Nuthatches of which I shall have to treat as found within the limits of the 
Western Palarctic Region, I may pause a few moments to give a glance over this family, and, in making the 
following remarks, may state that, as usual, I take Mr. G. R. Gray’s well-known ‘ Hand-list’ as a basis, the — 
numbers being those used in the said list :— 
2Nn2 
a} 
