File:The birds of Europe (1837) (14565365269).jpg

Identifier: birdsEuropeIIIGoul (find matches)
Title: The birds of Europe
Year: 1837 (1830s)
Authors: Gould, John, 1804-1881
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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he bird is silent. The nestconsists of a few dried leaves, which constitute a bed in the hole of a tree for the reception of the eggs, whichare from five to seven in number, and of a greyish white spotted with reddish brown. The female is assi-duous in her task, and defends her nest with her bill and wings, hissing at the same time in token of angerand distress. In winter the Nuthatch often resorts to orchards and gardens in search of food, but does notmigrate. The colouring is as follows : The whole of the upper surface of a fine blueish grey; the quills and base of the tail-feathers, except thetwo middle ones, being black ; the outer one on each side having a black spot near the tip ; a black bandpasses from the bill through the eye; and down the sides of the neck, where it ends abruptly near theshoulders; throat whitish; the under surface rufous^brown, becoming of a chestnut on the flanks; bill andtarsi black; irides hazel. We have figured a pair of these birds of the natural size.
Text Appearing After Image:
sw?> ■ y B AIL MAT IAM JfHI T MAT C EL»Sitta. rafesceas; fJemm/PJ J?. (7uO<fr J DALMATIAN NUTHATCH. Sitta rufescens, Temm. It is with much pleasure we are enabled to introduce a second European species of the limited and well-defined genus Sitta, which, we believe, is now figured for the first time. In size it exceeds the commonspecies, and indeed all its congeners. The Dalmatian Nuthatch is an inhabitant not only of the country from which it takes its name, but alsothe whole of the south-eastern portion of Europe generally ; indeed, to this section of the globe it appears tobe strictly limited. It may be observed that among all the collections of birds from India we have had opportunities ofexamining, the species in question has never occurred, although the range of the Himalaya presents uswith two others totally different either from the Dalmatian or the Common European Nuthatch. In its general style of colouring as well as in its form, habits,

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