PLATE III.
GENUS SITTELLA (Swainson).
THESE birds resemble in many respects the Nuthatches of Europe and India, but differ from them
in their mode of nidification, building nests on the branches of trees instead of incubating in holes
in the trunks.
SITTELLA PILE ATA (Gould).
BLACK-CAPPED SITTELLA.
■
ri^HE range of this Sittella extends over the greater part of South and Western Australia, where it is
J- to be met with in flocks from ten to thirty in number. It is exceedingly shy, and when not flying
swiftly from tree to tree, generally remains on the topmost branches.
Gilbert, when in Western Australia, made the following note concerning the Sittella Pileata :—
" An extremely active bird, running up and down the trunks and branches of the trees with the utmost
rapidity, always in families of from ten to twenty in number. It utters a weak, piping note while on
the wing, and occasionally while running up and down the trees. Its flight, which is generally performed
in rather rapid, undulating starts, is of short duration."
The breeding time is in September. The nest is formed of very small, thin strips of bark joined
together by means of cobweb, which is laid on so thickly as to almost cover it. The same substance is.
used to fasten the structure in its place, usually the highest and most slender fork of an acacia, where
its diminutive size and resemblance in colour to the tree render it very difficult of detection. The eggs,
three in number, are " of a whitish colour, with circular green spots regularly distributed over the whole
surface."
The male has the forehead, stripe over the e. r e, throat, breast and centre of the abdomen, white ;
crown of the head, black ; ear-coverts, back of the neck and back, brownish-grey ; rump, white ; tail, black,
the centre feathers slightly and the outer ones largely tipped with white ; wings, blackish-brown, with a
large patch of rufous in the centre, interrupted by the blackish-brown margins of some of the secondaries ;
Hanks and vent, grey ; bill, yellow at the base, black at the tip ; feet, yellow.
The female is somewhat darker on the upper surface, and has the whole of the upper part of the
head deep black.
Total length, inches ; bill, § inch ; wing, 3^ inches ; tail, If inch ; tarsi, f inch.