BIRDS — CEETHIADAE — SITTA PUSILLA. 



377 



List of specimens. 



SITTA PUSILLA, Latham. 



Brown-headed Nuthatch. 



Sitla pusilla. Lath. Index Orn. I, 1790, 263.— Wilson, Am. Orn. II, 1810, 105 ; pi. xv.— Nuttall, Man. I, 1832, 

 584.— Ann. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 151 ; pi. 125.— Ib. Birds Amer. IV, 1842, 181 ; pi. 249 — Bon. Obs. 

 Wilson, 1825, No. 61.— Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 227. 



Sp. Ch. — Above ashy blue ; top of head and upper part of neck rather light hair brown, divided on the nape by white. Eye 

 involved in the brown, which is deeper on the lower border. Beneath muddy whitish ; sides and behind paler than the back. 

 Middle tail feathers almost entirely like the back. Length of female 4 inches ; wing, 2|. 



Ilab. — South Atlantic (and Gulf.') States. 



Third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal, although the fourth is longest ; second shorter 

 than seventh. Ahove ashy blue ; the top of the head and upper part of nape brown, the 

 middle of the latter interrupted by a large whitish spot ; the lower edge of the brown involving 

 the lower edge of the eye, and of a darker color than elsewhere. Chin and sides of head and 

 throat below the brQwn white. Rest of under parts pale bluish ash, lighter than on the back, 

 and tinged with dirty white on the throat, breast, and middle of abdomen. No white markings 

 on the wings. Feathers of tail tipped with bluish ; innermost feather like the back ; others 

 black ; the two outer with a subterminal bar of pale whitish. 



List of specimens. 



48 b 



