



SITTIM. 



8. S. castaneoventris Frankl. Proc. Z. S. 1831. p. 121., Jard. & 

 Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 145. — S. castanea Less. 



y. S. cinnameoventris Blyth, J. A. S. Beng. 1842. p. 459- — 

 Sitta castaneoventris Hodgs. 



10. S. himalayensis Jard. & Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 146. 



11. S. nipalensis Hodgs. J. A. S. B. 1836. p. 779- — Sitta vit- 

 ticauda Jam. Mem, Wern. Nat. Hist. Soc. vii. 490. ? 



12. S. frontalis Horsf. — Sitta velata Temm. PI. col. 72. f. 3. 

 Swains. III. Orn. pi. 2. ; S. corallina Hodgs. ; Type of Ortliorhyn 

 chus Horsf. 



13. S. flavipes (Swains.) Two Cent, and a Quart, p. 323. — 

 Sitta azurea Less. 9 S. gymnophrys Kuhl, MS. 



13. S.formosa Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1843. p. 938. 



Sittetxa Swains.* 



Bill long, rather slender, with both mandibles slight!)' curved upwards from the base, the tip slightly 

 curved and emarginated, the sides compressed, and the gonys lengthened and curved upwards; the 

 nostrils basal and lateral, and placed in a membranous groove, with the opening linear and near the 

 lateral margin. Wings reaching beyond the tail, with the first quill nearly as long as the second and 

 third, which are the longest. Tail very short, and somewhat rounded. Tarsi shorter than the middle 

 toe, and covered in front by an almost entire scale. Toes moderate, with the lateral toes unequal, the 

 outer the longest, and both united at their base to the first joint of the middle toe, the hind toe as 

 long as, or longer than, the middle one ; the claws long, compressed, and curved. 



The species of this genus are peculiar to Australia. They live, says Mr. Gould, in small companies, running 

 over the branches, and up and down the trunks of the trees, with the greatest activity, and assuming every 

 possible variety of position ; when proceeding downwards the head points to the ground. They search the branches 

 and trunks of the trees for the insects and spiders that may lodge on them, and these form their chief subsistence. 

 Their flight is quick and sudden, but is seldom brought into action further than to pass from one tree to another ; 

 while so engaged they utter a weak piping note, which they also do while running up and down the trunk. The nest 

 of one of the species is said to be made " of short strips of bark attached together and fastened to the branch 

 with cobwebs, and so covered over with them as to be very nearly smooth ; the cobwebs are laid or felted on, not 

 wound round the pieces; portions of lichen are frequently attached. The nest is generally placed in the highest 

 branches, and is most difficult to detect, from its very diminutive size and from its resembling a slight excrescence of 

 the wood ; the eggs are three in number." 



1. S. chrysoptera (Lath.) Swains. Lath. Gen. Syn. of B. pi., 

 Lamb. Icon. ined. iii. 6., Gould, Syn. B. of Austr. pi. f. 2. (head). 



2. S. pileata Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1837- p. 151. — Sitta melanoce- 

 phala Gould, Syn. B. of Austr. pi. f. 3. & 4. (heads), B. of 

 Austr. pi. 



3. S. leucocephala Gould, Proc. Z S. 1837. p. 152., Syn. B. of 

 Austr. pi. f. 1. (head). 



4. S. leucoptera Gould, Proc. Z. S. 1839. p. 144., Gould, B. of 

 Austr. pi. 



Acanthisitta Lafr.\ 



Bill long, straight, and very slender, with the culmen straight and slightly curved at the tip, the 

 sides compressed and the gonys long and gradually advancing upwards ; the nostrils basal, lateral, and 

 placed in a deep broad groove, with the opening linear and near the culmen. Wings moderate, with 



* Mr. Swainson established this genus in 1837. (Class, of Birds, ii. p. 317.) 



t This genus was established by Baron Lafresnaye in 1843. (Mag. de Zool. 1843.) 



