218 Catalogue of the Birds [Afbil 



and another darker, narrower, and better defined down the side of the 

 throat. Breast and upper belly white, with small triangular black 

 spots; wing coverts have a yellowish tinge. The quills are barred with 

 brown and isabella. Rump aud tail speckled ; the former with black 

 longitudinal streaks, the latter with 3 darker, broad bands, and partially 

 edged with black. Bill straight, round, pointed— legs shielded, of a 

 greenish horn colour. Irides crimson. 

 Length nearly 7£ inches; tongue lung as in the woodpeckers." 



Family CERTHIADiE— Creepers. 



Sub Family SITTING.- Nuthatches. 



Gknds SITTA.— L. 



219.— S. castaneoventris, Franklin, CH.—Chesnut-beUied Nuthatch. 



I have hitherto seen this Nuthatch but on one occasion, which I shot 

 in Goomsoor, in high forest jungle. I lfave, however, seen specimens 

 shot at the top of the Guzzlehutty pass, in Mysore. 



Length 5^ inches ; wing 3; tail U; tarsus T ^ -ths ; bill at front 

 ^iths; at gape ^ -ths ; bill black ; legs plumbeous brown. 



Genus DENDROPHILA, Sw.— Social Nuthatch. 



220.— D. frontalis.— Sitla frontalis, Sw., Zool. 111.— S. velata, Temm. 

 **• C.— Velvet-fronted blue Nuthatch. 



This lovely little Creeper is found in great abundance in the dense 

 woods of the Neilgherries. I have seen it, though rarely, below the 

 ghauts, also in thick forest jungle. It hunts, in general, in small par- 

 ties of five or six ; is very active and restless, creeping round the hori- 

 zontal branches chiefly, and seeming to prefer the under side of the 

 branches, and also running downwards. It feeds on various small 

 insects, which it picks off the bark, but does not tap like the common 

 Nuthatch. 



Irides light yellow ; bill orange. Length 5 inches; wing 3 ; tail 1 J ; 

 bi\l to front T yhs . a t gape T vths ; tarsus hardly fttbs ; hind toe with- 

 out claw ^ an inch. 



