378 
U. S. P. R. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 
SITTA PYGMAEA, Vigors. 
California Nuthatch. 
Sitta pygmaca, Vigors, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, 1839, 25 ; pi. iv.— Audubon, Orn. Biog. V, 1839, G3 ; pi. 415.— Ib. 
Syn. 1839, 168.— Ib. Birds Amer.IV, 1842, 184 ; pi. 250.— Newberry, Zool. Cal. Or. Route ; P. R. R. 
Rep. VI, iv, 1857, 79. 
g P . Ch. — Above ashy blue ; head and upper part of neck greenish ashy brown, its lower border passing a little below the eye, 
where it is darker ; nape with an obscure whitish spot. Chin and throat whitish ; rest of lower parts brownish white ; the sides 
and behind like the back, but paler. Aliddle tail feather like the back ; its basal half with a long white spot; its outer web 
edged with black at the base. Length about 4 inches ; wing, 2.40. 
Hub. — Pacific coast and towards Rocky mountains. 
Third, fourth, and fifth quills nearly equal and longest. General color above ashy blue. 
Top of head and nape and sides of head ashy brown, with a greenish tinge, the lower portion 
(passing through the eye) of a purer brown and darker. Chin, upper part of throat, sides of 
head, and an obscure spot on the nape dividing the brown, white ; sides of body like the back, 
but paler ; rest of under parts pale rusty or brownish white. Inner tail feathers like the back, 
but with a long white spot at the base ; all the feathers tipped with ashy blue ; rest of feathers 
black ; the first and second with a subterminal oblique bar of white. 
This species is closely related to Sitta pusilla of the southern States. The brown of the head 
has, however, an olivaceous green tinge not seen in the other ; the white spot on the nape less 
distinct. The middle tail feather has its basal half white and the outer web edged with black 
at the base. This black edging is never seen in the other, and the white patch reduced to a 
faint trace, only visible in very high plumaged specimens. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. No. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 

Orig. No. 
Collected by— 
3312 
3729 
6840 
6804 
6803 
S. F. Baird 
Dr. Gambel 
do 
W. Hutton 
Ft. Colville. W. T. 
Cold Spring, R. Mts..... 
San Francisco Mts 
Oct. — , 1853 ... 
Nov. 17, 1853... 
Dec. 27, 1853 
I. I. Stevens 
Lieut. Whipple 
do 
22 
Kennedy and Mollhausen. 
do 
