152 



DALMATIAN NUTHATCH. 



The Dalmatian Nuthatch is an inhabitant of the 

 country from which its English name is derived. Passing 

 along the shores of the Adriatic we find it in the Ionian 

 Islands and Greece commonly. Thence we trace it to 

 Smyrna, and along the shores of Asiatic Turkey to 

 Syria, where it is very common, that country also giving 

 its specific and French name. Dr. Leith Adams informs 

 me that it is pretty common in Affghanistan. 



The three European Nuthatches form an interesting 

 illustration of the adaptation of structure to climate of 

 nearly allied species. The present bird is very much 

 larger and stronger than the European form. As will 

 be observed farther on, its habits differ, inasmuch as it 

 does not frequent trees, but rocks and ruins. The 

 northern form and that which inhabits Britain are so 

 closely allied to each other, that the best ornithologists 

 have denied, and I think with good reason, their specific 

 distinction. But the three birds have all a strongly - 

 marked character in common. The coloration varies, 

 but it is disposed after the same plan, the blue slate 

 back, and the dirty white or russet abdomen, and the 

 characteristic black mark on the side of the head of 

 each. These are instances in which there can be no 

 objection urged as to the possibility, or rather the strong 

 probability, of a common origin. But then we have no 

 evidence of the stronger bird in the south, or the weaker 

 one in the north, diverging into any different forms. 

 The variation is adaptive and final, and the species or 

 varieties are constant. 



"Few birds," says the Rev. IT. B. Tristram, in his 

 account of the Birds of Southern Palestine, (Ibis, vol. 

 i., p. 27,) "have interested me more than the Dalmatian 

 Nuthatch. I had good opportunities of observing its 

 habits in the south of the Morea in winter, and I 



