SITTA NEUMAYERI. 
(SYRIAN NUTHATCH.) 
Sttta neumayeri, Michah. Isis, 1830, p. 814. 
Sitta syriaca, Ehrenb. in Temm. Man. d’Orn. iii. p. 286 (1835). 
Sitta rupestris, Cantr. in Temm. Man. d’Orn. iii. p. 287 (1835). 
Sitta rufescens, Gould, B. of Kur. iii. pl. 235 (1832). 
Sitta saxatilis, Schinz, Eur. Faun. i. p. 266 (1840). 
Figure notabiles. 
Werner, Atlas, iti. Anisodactyles, pl. 1; Bonap. Faun. Ital. Uce. pl. 3. fig. 2; Gould, B. of 
Eur. ii. pl. 235; Fritsch, Vog. Eur. taf. 23. fig. 18. 
3 ad. supra schistaceo-cinereus : lined nigra a rostri ortu per oculum ducta et utrinque usque ad occiput ex- 
tensa : genis, facie et collo lateralibus et gutture toto sericeo-albis : tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus, 
majoribus exterioribus nigris : remigibus nigricantibus, secundariis extus dorsi colore lavatis ad apicem 
ipsum angustissimé albido limbatis, secundariis dorsalibus dorso concoloribus: cauda nigricante, supra 
cinereo lavata, rectricibus versus apicem angusté fulvescente limbatis, exterioribus intis fulvescente 
notatis : corpore reliquo subtus fulvescenti-albo, abdomine cum subcaudalibus, tibiis et corpore laterali 
pallidé ferrugineis: subalaribus nigris, imis albicantibus: rostro corneo, mandibula basin versus flavi- 
cante: pedibus plumbeis: iride saturate brunnea. 
2 mari similis. 
Juv. similis adultis, sed multo pallidior, supra paullo cinerascens. 
Adult Male. Entire upper parts lead-blue, rather darker on the forehead ; loral space and a broad line 
passing through and beyond the eye to the nape black; quills bluish brown slightly edged with russet, 
as are also the larger wing-coverts ; tail blackish brown, the two central feathers being, however, lead- 
blue, the outermost feathers on each side having a russet spot at the tip of the inner web, and the outer 
web at the base slightly edged with the same colour; cheeks, throat, auriculars, and entire underparts 
white, tinged with russet on the abdomen, this tinge being more conspicuous on the flanks and the 
lower portion of the abdomen; thighs pale russet; under tail-coverts pale russet, each feather having 
a large central mark of dull bluish grey; bill horn-colour; under mandible much lighter at the base 
and to two thirds of its length; legs lead-grey; iris dark brown. Total length 5:6 inches, culmen 0°8, 
wing 3, tail 2, tarsus 0:9. 
Female. Similar to the male, but generally somewhat larger in size. One obtained by Dr. Kriiper in 
Macedonia in November 1869 measures 5°4 inches in length, wing 3:25, tail 2:1, culmen 0:95, 
tarsus 0°95. 
A female from Kokand differs in being much lighter in colour than specimens from Asia Minor ; and the 
stripe behind the eye is larger, extending 14 inch from the eye; and the secondaries and wing-coverts 
are indistinctly edged with rufous. In this specimen the culmen measures | inch, wing 3°5, tarsus 1-05. 
K 
