After carefully comparing during the last ten years good
materials on Sittidae (especially in Petrograd Academical collec-
tions, thanks to the kindness of Dir. Prof. Nassonov and Cons.
Dr. Bianchi), I come to the conclusion, that notwithstanding the
great superficial likeness of all the Nuthaches, the Family is
not as homogenous, as it is commonly treated, but forms seve-
ral good natural groups.
Full list of these groups and forms they embrace is given
above (see p. 155), and here follows a Table for identification.
Diagnoses of Groups of Sittidae.
A. Bill compressed, higher than broad at base; maxillary tomia
slightly notched subterminally; nostrils long, operculate, not
consealed by bristles; second (counting outermost first) pri-
mary long, about equal to fifth or longer; rump white or
rosy-spotted . . . . . . . . . . Subfam. Daphaenosittinae.
I. Bill shorter, gonys nearly straight; tarsus longer than
middle toe; rump rosy-spotted . . . . Gen. Daphaenositta
De Vis (monotype: D. miranda .De Vis).
II. Bill longer, gonys distinctly ascending; tarsus shorter
than middle toe; rump white . . . . Gen. Neositta
Hellmayr (type: Sitta chrysoptera Lath.) ¹).
B. Bill at base rather broader than high, tomia smooth; nostrils
round or slightly oval, non-operculate, but more or less
consealed by bristles; second primary plainly shorter than
fifth; rump without white or rosy.
__________
¹) Further subdivided in 1912 by Mr. Mathews making Sittella
striata Gould type of Genus Neosittella (Austr. Av. Rec., p. 114). But
S. striata and its races are unknown to me, our museums being altoge-
ther poor in Australian birds.
III. Bill conical, short: exposed culmen shorter than
hallux (without claw); coloration partly violet-
blue . . . . . . . . . . . . Subfam. Cyanosittinae.
a. Nostrils more oval; second primary longer than
sixth; pileum, wing coverts and belly black . . .
. . . . . . . . . Gen. Poecilositta gen. nov.
(monotype: Sitta azurea Less. ¹).
b. Nostrils rounded; second primary shorter than sixth;
only forehead and superciliaries black . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . Gen. Cyanositta Gen. nov.
(type: Dendrophila corallipes Sharpe)
IV. Bill cylindrical, long: exposed culmen longer than
hallux without claw; no patches of violet-blue . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subfam. Sittinae.
c. Forehead feathering falls short of proximal end of
nostrils; these last very slightly concealed by
bristles; first primary very short, about equal to
primary-coverts; wing-tip (distance between ends
of longest primary and first secondary) very long:
one third of length of wing; [tarsus slender, about
one fifth of length of wing; hallux long, only 51/2
times shorter than wing;] upper side streaked
brilliant light blue and with verditer-blue patches .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gen. Callisitta Bp.
(monotype: Sitta formosa Blyth).
d. Forehead feathering about in line with proximal
end of nostrils; these are better congealed with
bristles; first primary always conspicuously longer
than primary-coverts; wing-tip much shorter than one
third of wing; [in nearly all forms tarsus more
robust and hallux shorter]; upper side dull ashy
or blueish-grey.
1. Wing narrow: wing-tip much longer than expo-
sed culmen [and mostly-than tarsus], and only
about 3,2-4.5 and not more than 5 times
shorter than wing; [first primary shorter, mostly
__________
¹) Dendrophila Swainson 1837 July (type: S. azurea Less.) is
preoccupied by Deadrophila Hodgson 1837 April (fide Hellmayr),
and by Dendiophibus Leach 1816 (Coleoptera).
more than 2 1/2 times shorter than second]:
upper parts bluer grey.
α. Feet weak: hallux about 8-10 times shorter
than wing and shorter than its claw, tarsus
about 5 times shorter than wing; [second
primary between seventh and eighth, excep-
tionally somewhat longer than seventh; first
primary about 2 1/2-2 2/3 times shorter than
second]; two side pairs of rectrices mostly
white in distal halves . Gen. Arctositta gen. nov.
(monotype: Sitta arctica But.) ¹).
β. Feet strong: hallux 5-7 1/4 times shorter than
wing and always fairly longer than its claw
along the chord; tarsus about 4-4.7 times
shorter than wing; [second primary between
6-th and 7-th, exceptionally equal to 7-th or
just longer than 6-th]; external pairs of rect-
rices without white or only with white
spots.
a.a. Hallux moderate: rarely 5 3/4, mostly
6-7 1/4 times shorter than wing; [wing-tip
mostly longer than tarsus; bill moderate:
its breadth at the middle of exposed cul-
men mostly 5 1/2-8 1/2 times less than length]:
tail-feathers without white basal halves .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Gen. Sitta L.
(type: S. europaea L.).
α.α. First primary moderate: about 2 1/2-
2 3/4 times shorter than second; [bill
slender: breadth at the middle about
__________
¹) To consider A. arctica as subspecies of S. europaea seems to me
absurd. It forms at least as good a Genus, as Callisitta: its weak feet
with minute hallux are unique among Sittidae; proportion of quills is as
different from S. europaea, as the form of bill: very slender, with quite
straight culmen and strongly ascending gongs. Its tail pattern is also
quite unlike that of S. europaea and allied forms, and in these last sexes
are always plainly enough distinguishable by colouring, but in A. arctica
sexes are quite alike, as verified by myself by dissection on several
breeding pairs in Arctic Siberia. In all about three dozens of A. arctica
were compared with about five hundred specimens of S. europaea and
allied forms.
6 1/2-8 1/2, rarely in very short bill's
6 times less than length].
1.a. Pileum concolor with mantle; under-
side mostly dark chestnut; size larger:
wing mostly longer than 70, rarely
69 main. [wing-tip longer than tarsus].
. . . Subgen. Homositta subg. nov.
(type: S. castaneoventris Frankl.)
2.b. Pileum-at least in ♂, capped black,
brown or olive; underside white,
greyish or rufous; size smaller: wing
mostly 70 m.m. and less (in one
species up to 75 m.m.) [Wing-tip
often shorter than tarsus], . . .
. . . Subgen. Micrositta subg. nov.
(type: S. villosa Verr.).
β.β. First primary short: about 3-3 1/4,
rarely 2 3/4 times shorter than second
(in adults).
3.c. Head and neck above in both sexes
glossy black; bill slender: breadth at
the middle 2-2 1/3 m.m., 6 1/2-8 1/2
times less than length . . . . . .
. . . Subgen. Leptositta subg. nov.
(type: S. leucopsis Gould.)
4.d. Head and neck concolor with mantle;
bill robust: breadth at the middle
2.4-3 m.m., 4-6 times and rarely-
in very long bills-6 1/2 times less
than its length . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . Subgen. Sitta L. sens. str.
(type: S. europaea L.).
b.b. Hallux robust: only 5 times shorter than
wing; (bill coarse: its breadth at the mid-
dle about 5 times less than length; wing-
tip about equal to tarsus and 4 1/2 times
shorter than wing; first primary about 2 2/3
times shorter than second]; central rect-
rices white on basal half . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . Gen. Mesositta gen. nov.
(monotype: Sitta himalayensis Jard. et Selby).
2. Wing broad: wing-tip much shorter than expo-
sed culmen [than tarsus also] and 5 1/4-7 1/4 ti-
mes shorter than wing; [first primary long,
about 2-2 1/2, times shorter than second; second
about equal to 8-th or between it and 7-th];
upper parts dull ashy-grey; [sexes similar; flancs
without chestnut] . . . . Gen Rupisitta But.
(type: Sitta dresseri Zarud. et But.) ¹).
In straight parenthesis are included characters not abso-
lutely diagnostic, h. e. not absent in all other groups. I may
add, that S. magna Rams., as well as S. neglecta Wald. and
S. yunnanensis Og. Gr. are known to me only from descri-
ptions. Queried by "?" are doubtfull forms.
Some few notes must be added on several of the forms of
the list of species and subspecies. On Painted Nuthaches (Da-
phaenosittinae) and Azure Nuthaches (Cyanosittinae) I need not
dwell here more, than to state, that Cyanositta frontalis
(Swains.) from Ceylon, its terra typica, seems to me to have
longer bill, than specimens from Himalaya ("Sitta corallina"
Hodgs.). But my series being short Iam following Oates in
keeping these forms together.
Sitta europaea sakhalinensis nov. subsp. inhabits isl. Sagha-
lien; it resembles S. e. albifrons Tacz. of Kamchatka in its pale
ashy upper side (though a shade more blueish), but has shorter
bill and hind claw; dimensions in millim.: wing 78-77, its tip
19-21, first primary 15-17, bill from nostrils 11-12, height at
base 3.4-3.8 in one spec. 3.9), breadth at base 4.5-5.0 (once
5.2), tarsus 16.5-17.5 (once 18), hind claw (chord) 8.5-9. In
S. e. albifrons bill from nostrils 13.5-15.5 being 3.8-4.0 high
and 4.5-5.4 broad, wing 75-79 and hind claw 9.0-9.7 m.m.
A dozen of Saghalien birds in Petr. Acad. Museum examined.
__________
¹) Contrarily to what Dr. Hellmayr states by some oversight (in
Wytsman's "Gen. Av." pt. 16, 1911, p. 3)—S. dresseri is expressis verbis
indicated as type of Rupisitta in my paper ("Mitt. Kauk. Mus." III, 1,
1907, p. p. 49—in russ.—and 64— english text). Rock-Nuthaches seem to
form as natural a group, as Callisitia, and their extremely broad wing
with nearly obsolete wing-tip is unique in the whole Family. They nest
in rocks, not in trees. Their long external primary—a "young" ontogen-
etic character—seems to indicate archaic nature of Rupisitta.
S. clara Stejn. I take to be synonymous with S. e. sibirica
Pall. (S. uralensis and S. baicalensis auct.), as specimens from
Yezo, Hakodate, that I compared, were in dimensions and colou-
ring identical with continental birds.
Sitta europaea biedermanni Rchw. is, though slightly,
still. distinguishable from S. e. sibirica. I examined about two
dozens of Altai specimens, including the type (through the kind-
ness of Prof. A. Reichenow), and find them to average smaller:
wing 73.5-79, bill from nostrils 10, oftener 11-12.5, very
rarely 13, its height 3.3, oftener 3.4.-3.9, rarely 4 and excep-
tionally 4.2 m.m. Chestnut on flancs and in ♀ ocreous tinge
on the vent somewhat more developed. [In S. e. sibirica wing
76-82, rarely 83, bill from nostrils rarely 11, commonly 12--
13.5, exceptionally up to 14, being 3.8-4.3, rarely 4.4 high;
hind claw about 9-9.5 and tarsus about 18.5-19.5 m.m. In S. e.
europaea wing 83-90, rarely down to 81 (only in ♀ less
than 84) bill from nostrils 14-15.5 and 4.3-4.8, rarely 4.2
high; hind claw about 9.5-10.5, tarsus about 19.5-20.5 m.m.).
This small form inhabits' not only Altai Mts, but N. and N. W.
Mongolia as well (Kossogol lake, Onon riv.), were some speci-
mens however are intermediate or even true sibirica. From eas-
tern parts of Tian-Shan ranges I had only two specimens: one
(♂, May, wing 77, bill fr. nostr. 12 and 4.0 m.m. high) seems to
be true S. e. biedermanni, other (♂, August, Tymerty) was excee-
dingly like S. e. amurensis; perhaps only just a shade paler on the
belly (creamy—ochraceous) and slightly more chestnut on flancs.
It was not only labelled ♂, but coloured as such (under tail
coverts not rufous, but rufous-chestnut). I may add that S. e.
amurensis ranges far to the north also: about Ayan on Okhotsk
sea it is met with side by side with S. e. sibirica.
Sitta europaea hondoensis nov. subsp. inhabits. Hondo isl.
Japan and differs from S. e. amurensis S w in h. of Amoor and
Ussuri in being smaller: dimensions in millim.
------------------ wing... bill. fr. nostr... its height... hind claw.
S. hondoensis... 77-79... 12-13...
......... 3.6-4.1...
. 8-9
S. amurensis.... 79-83... 13-13.5...
...... 4.1-4.4...
. 9-10
Types are in my collection: ♂♂ 20 sept. 1905 Fuji, 7 Nov.
1906 Shinano, ♀ 20 Febr. 1907 Shinano. Five specimens exa-
mined.
Sitta europaea homeyeri Seebohm is considered by Dr.
Hartert (Ibis 1892 p. 362 and Vög. pal. 1905 p. 330) as a
a nomen nudum. It is so on the page quoted (Bird. Japan. Env.
1890 p. 92), but on the following page Seebohm writes "Sitta
caesia amurensis, which only differs from Sitta caesia homeyeri
in having the smaller dimensions of Sitta caesia uralensis". And
as S. amurensis is a long ago described and figured and very
well known bird,-this comparison forms quite a sufficient descrip-
tion, much better than scores of Linnean, Boddaert's and
other names, accepted by all zoologists. Therefore true S. e.
homeyeri is a bird coloured as S. e. amurensis, with creamy-
ocreous belly and with chest and breast white (in ♀ lower or
even whole breast more or less tinged). Such birds inhabit Cour-
land, southernmost Livonia, Lithuania and south to Podolia;
from central Livonia to central Russia and further north and
east quite typical S. europaea is only met with. Such true
S. e. homeyeri were recently renamed S. e. sztolcmani by Doma-
ewski in "Орнит. Вѣстн." 1915.
From Pomerania (perhaps parts of Mecklenburg) into
Eastern Prussia and through Poland and parts of Silesia into
Galicia birds are distributed that are also intermediate between
S. e. europaea and S. e. caesia, but nearer to the later (as
S. e. homeyeri Seeb. is nearer to the former): belly rufous,
breast and partly chest more or less creamy-ocreous. It is S. e.
sordida Rchw. (Cotype labelled "17 Sept. 1905, Bromberg,
Kothe S. G", evidently ♀, examined). It is "S. homeyeri" of Dr.
Hartert 1892 and 1905, of Dr. Hellmayr 1903 and 1911,
and others, but not of Seebohm (who infortunately gives no
type and too broad a distribution).
I must add, that some specimens not only from western
Poland, but even from Warsaw distr. and Podolia are quite true
S. e. caesia, with rufous on all the underside intense, and only
sides of head and all the throat white (slightly creamy), as in
typical birds from Western Germany).
Sitta rubiginosa Zarud. et Tsch. is looked at as subspe-
cies of S. europaea, following the original quite insufficient and
even misleading description (and Dr. Hellmayr's diagnosis in
"Gen. Av." is no better). In S. europaea and all its numerous
races three pairs of side rectrices have large, sharp, snowy-
white spots; in all S. rubiginosa examined (more than twenty)
here is no trace of such pattern. Therefore I take it to be
quite a good species. Above it is darker, than S. e. caesia and
S. e caucasica, below-brighter than cassia, but not so intense as
caucasica; upper throat whitish, but sides of head ocreous; films
very dark chestnut, more intense than in caesia and caucasica.
Wing 81-90, exposed culmen 17.5-20, and from nostrils 13.5-16,
its height being 4.5-5.6 m.m.
Rupisitta tephronota iranica nov. subsp. inhabits north-eas-
tern Persia and adjoining parts of Trans-caspian prov. It differs
from R. t. tephronota of Turkestan (typical locality Ferghana) in
being smaller, with bill about as long, but slenderer:
----------------- wing... tarsus... bill fr.nostr... its.height... its.breadth.at middle.
R. iranica...
..... 79-83... 22-23.6... 16-18... 4.6-5.2... 2.6-2.9
R. tephronota... 82-90... 23.8-25...
. 16-18... 5.1-5.5.. 3.0-3.25
Types-three specimens from March 1905, Transcaspian-Persian
boundary, in my collection. About a dozen and half examined.
. His full name seems to have been Paul Erich Berthold Klatt. Wiki 
