25^ NUTHATCH. Class II. 



exterior feathers tipt with grey, then fucceeds a tranf- 

 verfe white fpot -, beneath that the reft is black ; 

 the legs are of a pale yellow ; the back toe very 

 flrong, and the claws large. 



This bird runs up and down the bodies of trees, 

 like the woodpecker tribe -, and feeds not only on 

 infe6ls, but nuts, of which it lays up a confidera- 

 ble provifion in the hollows of trees : it is a pret- 

 ty light, fays Mr. mihighby, to fee her fetch a nut 

 out of her hoard, place it faft in a chink, and then 

 ftanding above it with its head downwards, ftriking 

 it with all its force, breaks the Ihell, and catch- 

 es up the kernel : it breeds in the hollows of trees ; 

 if the entrance to its neft be too large, it ftops up 

 part of it with clay, leaving only room enough for 

 admiflion : in autumn it begins to make a chatter- 

 ing noife, being filent for the greateft part of the 

 year. BoBg7' Plott tells us, that this bird, by put- 

 ting its bill into a crack in the bough of a tree, 

 can make fuch a violent found as if it was rendino- 

 afunder, fo that the noife may be heard at left twelve 

 fcore yards. 



Slender 



