1839.] On the Distribution of European Birds. 33 



to the near approximation of several species from Northern India, 

 which still require further examination ; and before the point can be 

 settled, a large series of specimens will require to be examined. In 

 the Indian Creeper (Certhia vitticaud a, Jam.) Jl and Indian Nuthatch, 

 (Sitta Himalehensisf* although we have many characters in common 

 with the European, yet still there are many others entitling us to con- 

 sider them as specifically distinct. The occurrence of the former 

 species in Northern India was a most interesting discovery, pointing 

 out that the genus Certhia is more widely distributed than was 

 originally imagined. In several of the Woodpeckers of Northern and 

 Southern India we have also a great similarity with the European spe- 

 cies, and in fact so remarkable, as to cause several of the more recent 

 writers to consider them as identical. 



In noticing the Crow and Starling families ( Cor vidce and StumidceJ 

 Mr. Swainson has made some most extraordinary statements. Thus 

 he states that not only several species, but even peculiar genera are 

 left to characterise this portion of the world. To us this is quite unin- 

 telligible. Species we have, we will admit, but as for genera in this 

 group peculiar to Europe, there are none ; and even among the whole 

 birds of this so called province, there is not one genus peculiar to it, 

 if we except one or two among the Sylviadce, whose generic characters 

 however must be called in question ; and even if they should latterly 

 be found to be correct, it would give but little more weight to Mr. 

 Swainson ; for there is no group hitherto more neglected, and of which 

 our knowledge is so imperfect, than the Sylviadce. 



For many years, no doubt, the genera Cindus™ and Nucifraga 

 were supposed to be confined to Europe ; but species belonging to the 

 former have been found in North America and Northern India ; and 

 in regard to the latter, we have one species occurring in Northern 

 India, considered erroneously by some authors as identical with the 

 European — it is the Nucifraga hemispila of Vigors. We shall after- 



31 This bird has received other two names. It has been described by Vigors as the 

 Certhia Himalayana, Proc. Zool. Soc. Pt. i. p. 174, and by Swainson as the Certhia 

 Asiatica, Anim. Menag. p. 353. 



32 Jard. and Selb. Zool. Illust. 



33 The distribution of the Dippers stands thus — In Europe we have two species, 

 one proper, the other being also found in Northern India. In America N. and S. (? ) 

 osie species (Cinclus Americanus). The new species described by Bonaparte is 

 the above. Audubon, since the above was written, informed us that he had receiv- 

 ed two new Cincli and a true Nucifraga from the Rocky mountains, the latter 

 however had been long before described as a Corvus. Brehm has described a third 

 species under the name of Cinclus melanog aster } it however appears to me to be a 

 mere variety of the Cinclus aquaticus. 



P 



