SITTA WHITEHEAD! 



(CORSICAN NUTHATCH.) 



Sitta whiteheadi, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1884, p. 233. 



FigurcB notabiles. 

 Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1884, pi. xxxvi.; Whitehead, Ibis, 1885, pi. ii. 



£ ad. pileo, nucha, loris et linea per oeulos ducta nitide nigris : corpore supra pallide sehistaceo-cinereo : 

 remigibus nigricantibus, in pogonio externo sehistaceo-cinereo rnarginatis : rectricibus mediis schistaceo- 

 cinereis versus apicera nigro notatis, reliquis nigris albo apicatis, duabus extends magis albo terminatis : 

 linea superciliari, capitis lateribus et corpore subtiis albis : rostro nigro-corneo, mandibula ad basin 

 caeruleS, : pedibus plumbeis : iride fused. 



? ad. sordidior, pileo nee nigro sed saturate sehistaceo-cinereo vix nigro notato. 



Adult Male (Corsica, May 27th) . Upper parts generally pale slaty blue, crown and nape black ; lores and 

 a line passing behind the eye over the ear-coverts also black ; superciliary stripe, sides of the head, and 

 underparts generally white; quills blackish, externally margined with slaty blue; median rectrices 

 slaty blue, marked with black near the tip, remaining tail-feathers black, the two external ones broadly 

 tipped with dirty white, the remainder narrowly tipped with white : bill blackish, lighter at the base ; 

 legs plumbeous ; iris dark brown. Total length about 4'8 inches, culmen 0*7, wing 2 - 8, tail T6, 

 tarsus 08. 



Adult Female (Corsica, May 27th). Differs from the male in being rather duller in tone of colour, and 

 lacking the black crown, that part being dark slate-grey slightly tinged with black. 



The discovery of the present species is probably one of the most interesting additions to the 

 avifauna of Europe made for many years past, inasmuch as it differs from all the hitherto known 

 species of Nuthatches inhabiting the Western Palsearctic Region in having the crown and nape 

 black ; and its only near allies are Sitta canadensis, which inhabits North America, and Sitta 

 villosa, which inhabits Northern China and Eastern Mongolia. 



The present species is found only in the island of Corsica,' where it was discovered by 

 Mr. John Whitehead in 1883. It is an extremely local species, and Mr. Whitehead has very 

 wisely refused to divulge the exact locality where he obtained it, fearing that if he made it 

 known where it is to be met with, it would soon be exterminated by over-zealous collectors. 

 Hence, though other naturalists have since visited Corsica, and have used every endeavour to 

 obtain specimens, no one has hitherto succeeded in so doing, and we have no information 

 respecting this interesting species beyond what was published by Mr. Whitehead (Ibis, 1885, 

 p. 28), as follows: — "On the 12th June 1883, I left a small village to visit the nest of an 

 Eagle which the shepherds had told me of. Starting at 4 a.m. with a mule and guide (taking 



