1 86 Transactions of the [Sess. 



Nuthatches are very impatient of restraint when captured at matur- 

 ity, they Avill become quite tame if taken young and brought up 

 by hand. They are most amusing pets, running over their owner 

 in all directions, up and down his body and limbs, poking their 

 bills into seams and holes as if in search of food upon some old 

 or rent tree, and uttering during the time a low and plauitive cry. 

 The Nuthatch flies from tree to tree in short spasmodic jerks, and 

 its mode of progression on the trees is very dissimilar from that 

 of the common Creeper {Oertliia familiaris). The latter uses its 

 stijff tail as a support in climbing; the Nuthatch never does, but, 

 clinging with its tenacious claws, it creeps by short jerks forwards 

 and backwards and sideways with the greatest facility. The nest 

 of the Nuthatch is often a hole made by the Woodpecker ; and 

 if the orifice is too large to be readily defended, the bird plasters 

 j)art of it up with mud, and a hole thus diminished is always a 

 safe find of a Nuthatch-nest to bird-nesting boys. These birds seem 

 to have very little fear of mankind, and to be utterly regardless of 

 his near approach, for they will hunt over the stems of trees for 

 food and break nuts while an onlooker stands only a few yards 

 away. I much regret that this bird, which remains with us in 

 England throughout the year, is almost unknown in Scotland. We 

 should all welcome its cheery note and amusing habits on our 

 summer excursions. It has a wide range on the Continent. Two 

 years ago, during a walk before breakfast at Thun, in Switzerland, 

 I saw seven or eight of them ; and I noticed one also at Lauter- 

 brunnen, so that in that vicinity it cannot be a rare bird. There are 

 many familiar rural spring sounds in England which one misses on 

 coming to Scotland. I would instance the "chaff" of the Chiff- 

 chafif, the laugh of the Yaffle, the charming and varied melody of the 

 Nightingale, the plaintive whine of the Wryneck, the purring murmur 

 of the Turtle, the shriek of the brilliant Ivingtisher, and the whistle 

 of the pretty Nuthatch, all of Avhich would probably be heard at the 

 end of A]jril in the course of a five-mile walk in Warwickshire. 



At this meeting the Eev. R. E, Colvin read a short paper on the 

 Palms of India, which was illustrated by specimens obtained from 

 the Eoyal Botanic Garden. 



MEETINGS OF MICBOSCOPIG SEGTION. 



At a meeting of the Club, held on the 26th October 1883, it was 

 agreed to hold a series of meetings, during the winter months, for 

 practical work with the microscope. Eive such meetings were held. 



