_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
SITTELLA CHRYSOPTERA, _Swains._
Orange-winged Sittella.
_Sitta chrysoptera_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., p. xxxii.—Vig. and Horsf.
in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 296.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p.
316.
_Orange-winged Nuthatch_, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 146. pl.
227.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 120.—Lath. Gen. Hist.,
vol. iv. p. 77. pl. lxiii.
_Sitta? chrysoptera_, Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p.
189.
_Neops chrysoptera_, Vieill. 2nde édit, du Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom.
xxxi.—Ency. Méth. Orn., Part III. p. 915.
_Sittella chrysoptera_, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 317.
_Mur-ri-gang_, Aborigines of New South Wales.
This species appears to be as much confined to the south-eastern part of
Australia as the _Sittella pileata_ and _S. leucoptera_ are to their
respective portions of the country; the former inhabiting the western,
and the latter the northern parts of the continent. New South Wales then
is the true habitat of this species, over nearly every part of which it
is rather plentifully distributed; more abundantly so, I should say,
than is the Nuthatch in Europe, to which it offers considerable
similarity in its habits, actions, and economy. I have generally
observed it in small companies of from four to eight in number, running
over the branches of the trees with the greatest facility, and assuming
every possible variety of position; often in that which distinguishes
the actions of the Nuthatch from those of all other European birds,
namely, that of traversing the boles of the trees downwards, not, like
the _Climacteris_, with a backward shuffle, but with the head pointing
to the ground. The whole tribe of _Sittellæ_ live exclusively oil
insects and spiders, for the capture of which they possess an admirably
constructed bill.
During its flight, which is quick and darting, the red mark on the wing
shows very conspicuously; its powers of wing are, however, seldom
brought into action, further than to enable it to pass from one tree to
another.
Although I possess a nest and eggs, which I have reason to believe are
those of the present species, I could not ascertain with certainty that
this was the case, or the situation of its breeding-place.
The colouring of this species is more sombre, and has the markings of
the head less decided than any other species of the genus. The darker
colouring of the head of the female, however, which is spread over the
ear-coverts, at once points out to the ornithologist the sex of any
specimen he may possess of this genus.
The male has the head dark brown; all the upper surface grey, with a
broad streak of dark brown down the centre of each feather; wings dark
brown, with a broad patch of rich rufous crossing the primaries and
secondaries; upper tail-coverts white; tail black, the outer feathers
tipped with white; all the under surface grey, with a faint streak of
brown down each feather; under tail-coverts white, crossed near the tip
with a spot of brown; bill horn-colour at the base; irides cream-colour;
eyelash light buff; feet yellow.
The female differs only in having the head of a darker tint of brown.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration:
SITTELLA LEUCOCEPHALA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
SITTELLA LEUCOCEPHALA, _Gould_.
White-headed Sittella.
_Sittella leucocephala_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 152;
and in Syn. of Birds of Australia, Part IV.
My collection contains three specimens of this new species of
_Sittella_, two of which were received from the neighbourhood of Moreton
Bay and the other was procured during Dr. Leichardt’s overland
expedition to Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert having killed it near
Peak-Range Camp on the 27th of January 1845; the latter, which is
figured on the right-hand side of the plate, differs from the former in
the greater purity of the white colouring of the head, and in the darker
tint of the striæ which run down the centre of each of the feathers on
the breast; and it is possible that it may hereafter prove to be
distinct.
Head and neck pure white; upper surface greyish brown with darker
centres; under surface greyish white, with a stripe of brownish black
down the centre of each feather; wings dark brown, crossed by a band of
pale rusty red; tail brownish black, the middle feathers slightly, and
the outer ones largely tipped with white; upper tail-coverts white, the
lateral feathers with a patch of dark brown in the centre; under
tail-coverts brown, tipped with white; irides greenish yellow; base of
the bill, nostrils and eyelash orange-yellow.
The figures are of the natural size; the one with the white head being a
female, as ascertained by dissection.
[Illustration:
SITTELLA LEUCOPTERA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
SITTELLA LEUCOPTERA, _Gould_.
White-winged Sittella.
_Sittella leucoptera_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p. 144.
The present bird, which is a native of the northern parts of Australia,
is a perfect representative of the _Sittella chrysoptera_ of the south
coast, to which species it is most nearly allied. The contrasted style
of its plumage, together with the white spot in the wings, sufficiently
distinguish it from every other species of the genus yet discovered. It
is found in the Cobourg Peninsula, but is nowhere very abundant: it is
mostly met with in small families of from four to twelve in number. Its
note, actions and general habits are precisely similar to those of the
other members of the genus.
The sexes differ from each other in the markings of the head; the male
has the summit only black, while the female has the whole of the head
and ear-coverts of that colour.
The male has the forehead, crown of the head and occiput deep black;
wings black, with a broad band of white crossing the primaries near the
base; tail black, the lateral feathers tipped with white; throat, under
surface and upper tail-coverts white; under tail-coverts white, with a
spot of black near the tip of each feather; back greyish brown, the
centre of each feather streaked with blackish brown; irides
ochre-yellow; eyelash straw-yellow; bill straw-yellow, tipped with
black; legs and feet lemon-yellow.
The Plate represents the two sexes and an immature bird of the natural
size.
[Illustration:
SITTELLA PILEATA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
SITTELLA PILEATA, _Gould_.
Black-capped Sittella.
_Sittella pileata_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 151,
male.
—— _melanocephala_, Gould in Ibid., p. 152, female.
_Goo-mȁl-be-dite_, Aborigines of Western Australia.
This species of _Sittella_ inhabits the south-western portion of
Australia, and enjoys a range extending over several degrees of
longitude. It is, however, more strictly speaking, one of the species
pertaining to the Fauna of Western Australia. I killed several examples
during my excursion into the interior of South Australia, and I
transcribe from my journal the following notes on the subject:—“I met
with a flock of these birds on the hills near the source of the River
Torrens, about forty miles northward of Adelaide: they were about thirty
in number and were extremely shy, keeping on the topmost branches of the
trees, and the whole company flying from tree to tree so quickly, that I
and my companion were kept at a full run to get shots at them.”