27 



I often watched him, standing on the shaggy bark of a 

 chestnut tree, pounding away with might and main, some- 

 times putting his bill under an edge of the bark and prying 

 until it seemed as though he might snap his bill in the mid- 

 dle. When hammering they always take their position 

 above their M'ork, just as the human wood-chopper likes to 

 do. 



Fig. 24. Caterpillars were eaten ivith a relish. 



The male nuthatch, known by his glossy black crown, 

 never took a turn at sitting upon the eggs leaving such 

 duties exclusively to his gray-crowned wife. After the 

 eggs hatched he assumed the greater part of the burden of 

 feeding the little ones, coming with food at least twice as 

 often as did his mate. I suspect this was because he was 

 more skillful at uncovering larvae and grubs, and not be- 

 cause of any desire on his part to work more than necessary. 



