Bill of moderate length or rather long, straight, rather slender,
conico-subulate, somewhat compressed, with the tips acute, or cuneate.
Head ovate; neck short; body full. Tarsi rather short, or of moderate
length, slender, compressed, with seven or eight scutella; toes long,
very slender; hind toe extremely long; anterior little spreading;
claws long, little arched, slender, much compressed, acute. Plumage
soft and full. Wings of moderate length, broad, rounded. Tail short,
broad, of twelve feathers. Roof of upper mandible very narrow,
slightly concave, with three ridges; tongue very slender, with the tip
abrupt and bristly; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach roundish,
moderately muscular; intestine short and wide; cœca very small.
Trachea simple; with a single pair of large inferior laryngeal
muscles. Allied to the Titmice on the one hand, and the Woodpeckers on
the other.
GENUS I. SITTA, Linn. NUTHATCH.
Bill rather long, or of moderate length, straight, conico-subulate, a
little compressed, rather obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal
outline very slightly arched, the ridge rather narrow, the sides
sloping, the edges sharp without notches, the tip rather blunt; lower
mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line
ascending and very slightly convex, the sides slightly convex, the tip
narrow. Nostrils basal, round operculate, partially concealed by the
reversed bristly feathers. Head ovate; neck short; body short. Tarsi
rather short, stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes long, much
compressed; first very long, second much shorter than fourth; anterior
toes adherent at the base. Claws long, arched, much compressed,
laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Small
bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings rather long, first
quill extremely small, third and fourth longest. Tail short, of twelve
feathers broad, nearly even. Upper mandible slightly concave with
three ridges; tongue slender, very thin, with the point abrupt and
terminated by strong bristles; œsophagus without dilatation;
stomach rather large, roundish, moderately muscular; intestine rather
short and wide; cœca very small.