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SITTA HIMALAYENSIS, Jard. and Selby. 



Himalayan Nuthatch. 



Indian Nuthatch, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 73 ? 



Si«a Himalayensis, Jard. and Selby, 111. Orn., vol. iii. pi. 144.— Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 148, 



Sitta, sp. 10. 

 Nipalensis, Hodgs. in Journ. Asiat Soc. Beng., vol. v. p. 779.— Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 148, 



Sitta, sp. 11. 



Himalayana, Blyth in Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 190. 



vittacauda, Jam. Mem. Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc, vol. vii. p. 490. 





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This little Nuthatch is very nearly allied to its European prototype Sitta catsia, but is of a much smaller 

 size, and moreover possesses a character in the white marks on the central portion of the two middle tail- 

 feathers, by which it may be readily distinguished from every other at present known species of the genus. 

 We have abundant evidence that it enjoys a wide range over the high lands of Central India, particularly 

 the southern slopes of the Himalayas, examples having been contained in the collections obtained by 

 Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Grace, and Capt. Boys. Mr. Grace shot his specimens near Darjeeling ; Capt. Boys 

 procured his on the north side of the Gogra Hill, near the pass ; and Mr. Hodgson states its habitat to be 

 the central and northern regions of Nepaul. Neither of these gentlemen has given any account of its 

 habits and manners : there is, however, little doubt that they as closely assimilate to those of the European 

 species as the two birds do to each other in form and colouring. 



The sexes are so nearly alike that they are scarcely distinguishable. 



All the upper surface blue-grey ; lores, and a stripe passing from behind the eye down the sides of the 

 neck black ; cheeks and chin buffy white, the reddish tint gradually increasing in depth, until, on the flanks, 

 lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts it becomes of a deep ferruginous hue ; on the under 

 surface of the shoulder is a patch of black, below which is another of white ; primaries dark slaty black ; two 

 middle tail-feathers grey, with a stripe of white down the basal two-thirds of the centre of each ; lateral 

 tail-feathers black, the outer one on each side crossed by an oblique mark of white, and the next with a 

 large spot of white near the tip of the inner web ; irides dark brown ; bill greyish horn-colour ; legs 

 brownish grey. 



The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size. 





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