NUTHATCHES. 61 



similar, but browner ; below on sides, and behind, pale chest- 

 nut." " Chin and throat, brownish black." 



c. The Hudson Bay Titmice pass the summer in arctic 

 countries (and in northeastern Maine ?), usually penetrating 

 northern New England in cold weather only. Their habits 

 resemble those of the common Chickadees. " Mr. Brewster 

 took a single specimen at Concord, Massachusetts, on October 

 29th, 1870," the only recorded instance of their capture in this 



State.*! 



d. Their song-note is harsher and " more quickly given " 

 than that of our Chickadees.^^ 



§ 5. SITTIN.E. Nuthatches. (See § 4.) 



I. SITTA. 



A. CAROLINENSIS. White - breasted Nuthatch. White- 

 bellied Nuthatch. Common here, in spring and autumn, in 

 certain localities. In Massachusetts, a few pass the summer, 

 and a few the winter. J 



a. About six inches long. Above, ashy blue. Outer tail- 

 feathers, black with white patches. Wings, marked with the 

 same colors. Under tail-coverts, tinged with " rusty." Other 

 under parts and sides of the head (even above the eyes), white. 

 Crown and iiape^ black (in young and §, impure, restricted, 

 or wanting). 



b. The nest and eggs correspond closely to those of the 

 Chickadee (§ 4, ^, 6), but the eggs are larger, averaging .80 X 

 .60 of an inch, and are rather coarsely spotted with (reddish) 

 brown and purplish. Four or five are said to constitute the 



safely regarded as a somewhat fre- in New England. [From Appendix of 



quent if not regular winter visitor to first edition, p. 443.] 



Massachusetts, and a few specimens t The nest and eggs are essentially 



have been taken in southern Connect- similar to those of the common Chick- 



icut and Rhode Island. — W. B. adee. — W. B. 



* The Hudsonian Titmice probably ^^ Maynard. 



breed in several parts of northern New % Breeds throughout New England, 



England, and in the Adirondacks. but nowhere in very great numbers, 



They wander in winter so far to the while in many localities it is one of the 



southward as Connecticut, and more rarest of the summer birds. During 



than one has been obtained in Massa- the autumn migration it is at times 



chusetts. The Crested Tomtit {Lopho- comparatively common. It winters in 



phanes hicolor) is said to have occurred small numbers at least as far north as 



Massachusetts. — W. B. 



