140 



specimens of S. ccesia ; but it has also the chestnut on the flanks as fully developed as in 

 any specimen of S. europcea. 



Sitta krueperi, von Pelz. (Gadow, op. cit. p. 350). Inhabits Asia Minor, Palestine, and Syria, 

 and differs from all the preceding species in having the forehead jet-black and a patch of chestnut- 

 red on the upper breast. Full particulars respecting this species are given in the ' Birds of 

 Europe,' iii. pp. 189-191. 



Sitta whiteheadi, Sharpe. This and the two following species are easily distinguished from 

 all other Palsearctic Nuthatches in having the crown jet-black, the present species and Sitta 

 villosa being nearest allied to the Nearctic Sitta canadensis. Full particulars respecting the 

 present species are given above. 



Sitta villosa, Verreaux (Gadow, op. cit. p. 355). Differs from Sitta whiteheadi merely in 

 having the underparts warm creamy with a rufous tinge, whereas in S. whiteheadi these parts 

 are pure white. It inhabits Northern China, and was obtained by Col. Prjevalski in the 

 provinces of Alashan and Kansu, and in the Tetung Mountains in Mongolia. 



Sitta przewalskii, Beresovski and Bianclii, Pt. pyt. Potanina, p. 119(1891); Pleske,Wissensch. 

 Result. Przewalski's Reis. ii. p. 174, pi. ix. fig. 4. I have not had an opportunity of examining 

 a specimen of this rare Nuthatch, of which, so far as I can ascertain, only two specimens are 

 known — one, a female, obtained by Col. Prjevalski on the Umu River, Chuanche, and the 

 other, a male, obtained by Mr. Beresovski on the Jo-dsam-pu River in the Mindsheu district. 

 Prjevalski proposed the name of Sitta ekloni for this species, but it had already been described 

 by Messrs. Beresovski and Bianchi. It is stated to have the forehead, crown, nape, and hind 

 neck glossy black, with a bluish tinge ; lores, sides of head and neck, ear-coverts, chin, and 

 upper throat white, with a warm creamy tinge; upper parts blackish slate, with an indigo-blue 

 tinge, the rump lighter than the back ; quills blackish, externally margined with dark slate-blue ; 

 median two tail-feathers slate-coloured, the remainder black, with the terminal portion slate-grey, 

 more especially on the outer web ; on the inner web of the fourth and fifth pair white spots, and 

 on the sixth a white bar ; breast and centre of the abdomen dull creamy ; sides of the breast and 

 flanks bright chestnut-red: bill black, the base of the lower mandible light coloured ; legs dark 

 brown; iris very dark. Wing 6 2-85 inches, $ 2-75; tail d 1*7, 2 1*65; tarsus d 0-7, $ 0-62. 

 Mr. Pleske remarks that the present species is closely allied to Sitta leucopsis, Gould, but differs 

 in being smaller in size, and having the underparts more rusty red in tone of colour, and that it 

 will be necessary to compare a series in order to test the validity of the species. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens of Sitta syriaca :• — 



E Alus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, g . Puli-Chatum, Transcaspia, July 5th (Dr. G. Radde), b, <$ . Osch, near Kokand, N. of Pamir, February 



7th, 1882 (Staudinger). c, $. Kokand (Dode). 



