S I T T A L E U C O P S I S , G o u l d .
White-faced Nuthatch.
Sitta leucopsis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., November 13, 1849.
T h e White-faced Nuthatch is more nearly allied to the Sitta Carolinensis than to any o ther known species,
but differs from that bird in having a much shorter wing, in the rufous colouring of its flanks and under
tail-coverts, and in the much smaller amount o f white on the outer tail-feathers. Of all the Asiatic Nuthatches
this is the rarest in the collections of Europe, no example, so far as I am aware, being contained in
any public Museum : Captain Hay’s collection of Indian birds lately brought to this country comprised
examples, which are now in my own cabinet. Lord Arthur Hay, who diligently studied the birds of India
while resident in that country, informs me that it is an inhabitant o f the Himalaya, and that he often met
with it during his rambles ; but I believe his Lordship did not collect specimens. Mr. Blyth, in his observations
on the subfamily Sittinoe (Nuthatches), has given a short description of a species without assigning
to it a specific name, which is doubtless identical with the present bird ; bis words are—
“ S . ? Size about that of S . cæsia, with long and sleuder bill, a black cap, white breast and
throat, and dark chestnut belly.
“ Hab. Interior o f N.W. Himalaya.”
Crown o f the head and back of neck jet-black ; all the upper surface deep blue-grey ; primaries black
edged with grey ; centre tail-feathers blue-grey ; lateral feathers black tipped with blue-grey, the two outer
ones on each side with a small spot of white on the inner web near the tip ; face, chin, throat, breast, and
centre of the abdomen white, the latter slightly washed with buff ; flanks and under tail-coverts bright
chestnut ; bill black, with a blue-grey base ; legs grey.