294 THE PYGMY NUTHATCH. 



ing black on rcctrices (except central pair) ; longer ])rimaries usually with some 

 edging of white: central pair of tail-feathers with elongated white spot; two outer 

 pairs crossed obliijuely with white, and the three outer tipped with slate; under- 

 parts sordid white, smoky brown, or even ferruginous, clearest (nearly white) 

 on chin and cheeks ; sides, flanks, and crissum washed with color of back ; bill 

 [jlumbeous, lightening below; feet plumbeous; iris black. ]'oiiiiy: Like adults but 

 crown and hind-neck nearly color of back ; sides and flanks washed with brownish. 

 Length 4.00 ( 101.6 ) or less ; wing 2.56 (65 ) ; tail 1.34 ( 34) ; bill .56 ( 14. 2j ; tarsus 

 •59 (IS). 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy size; top of head olive brown contrasting with 

 plumbeous of back; gregarious habits. 



Nesting. — Nest: a hole in dead top of pine tiee, excavated by birds, smeared 

 about entrance with pitch, and lined with soft substances, grass, hair, and 

 feathers. Eggs: 5-8, pure white, flecked more or less heavily with reddish brown. 

 Av. size. .61 X .34 ( 15.5 X 13.7 ). Season: May 1-20; one brood. 



General Range. — Western L'nited States from New Alexico, Colorado, and 

 Montana to southern California, ^^'ashington, and eastern British Columbia; 

 southward in ^[exico to Mount Orizaba. 



Range in Washington. — Resident in niirthern and eastern portions of the 

 State east of the Cascade Mountains. Nearly confined to pine timber. 



Authorities.— Baird, liep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. pt. H. 1858, p. 378. C&S. 

 D-. J. 



Specimens. — Prov. C. 



AS for the Pygmy, the pine tree is his lnjiiie. It is not quite proper, 

 liowever, to speak of this Nuthatch in the singular. Lilliputians must 

 hunt in troops and make up in numbers what they lack in strength. Pygmy 

 Nuthatches are not merely sociable; the_\- are almost gregarious. Where 

 a company of Kinglets would be content to straggle thru a dozen trees, 

 a pack of Pygmies prefers to assemble in one. Yet there is no flock im- 

 pulse here, as with Siskins. Each little elf is his own master, and a 

 company of them is more like a crowd of merry schoolboys than anything 

 else. It's "come on fellers," when one of the boys tires of a given tree, 

 and sets out for another. The rest follow at leisure but are soon re- 

 assembled, and there is much jolly chatter with some good-natured scuffling, as 

 the confederated mischiefs swarm over the new field of opportunity. 



Ntilhatches are not methodical, like Creepers, in their search for in- 

 sects, — they are haphazard and happy. The branches are more attractive 

 to them than the tree bole, and the dead top of the tree is most alluring 

 of all. The Pygmies are never too busy to talk. The more they find the more 

 excited their chatter grows, pretty lispings and chirpings quite too dainty for 

 our dull ears. It makes us sigh to watch their iiappiness, and we go of¥ 

 muttering, "We, too, were young." 



Again, it shocks us when we find these youngsters in knickerbockers 



