AS I A TIC N U TH A T CH .
Sitta Asiatica, Temm.
M. Temminck has kindly forwarded to us a 6ne example of this elegant species of Nuthatch for the purpose
of illustration, accompanied by a note stating that it was from Russia, and would form a portion of the supplement
to. the third part of his “ Manuel.” 'We can only regret that we have not been able to acquire any
further information respecting it.
It is rather smaller in size than the common species (Sitta Europcea), and is much lighter in the general
tone of its colouring.
The crown of the head and all the upper surface are light grey; wings greyish brown, the primaries being
darker; outer tail-feathers white at the base and dark brown towards the t ip ; the remainder, except the two
middle ones, which are grey, dark brown at their base; a stripe over the eye; the chest and upper part of
the abdomen white; lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts dull rufous ; a black stripe commences
at the base o f the bill and runs through the eye to the shoulders; bill black; feet brown.
Our figure is o f the natural size.