which He, concealed by feathers, on the crown above the eyes. When these growths 

 are erected, they resemble two blue horns projecting from the top of the head. 



The charms of all these fascinating birds are only fully exhibited during the 

 breeding season. Words cannot express the beauty of their "nuptial dances" when 

 they show to the female the resplendent metallic coloring of their plumage, which 

 varies in tint with every motion of their bodies, and with the ruffling of their 

 feathers. 



Winter Birds 



By S. S. M. 



It is a great mistake to think we must wait until spring or summer before we 

 can begin the study of birds. 



Besides the owls, of which mention was made last month, there are several 

 varieties of small birds that are with us the year round. Cold and stormy, indeed, 

 must be the day if one may not be able to find the energetic little fellow, the White- 

 Breasted Nuthatch, busy among the barren branches. You may know him by his 

 slate-blue back, black cap and nape, and white belly. He is much given to hanging 

 on the sides of trees, head downward. Up the tree he goes, only to whirl round 

 and come scooting down the other side head foremost. Round and round he goes, 

 poking his needle-like bill into all the crevices of the bark after insects, their 

 grubs or their eggs. 



He is a much better climber than the Woodpecker, as the latter contents 

 himself with running up the trees, while the Nuthatch goes either up or down with 

 equal ease. The tail is short and square and is not used in climbing. While the 

 bill is not so strong as that of the Woodpeckers, yet it is a very effective instru- 

 ment in removing insects' eggs and larvae from crevices in the bark, and even in 

 excavating a nesting hole in some decayed limb. The Nuthatch does not confine 

 his diet to insects and their larvae, but is very fond of some kinds of nuts. By 

 either holding the nuts, beech or chestnuts, or seeds of weeds, in his claws, or jam- 

 ming them into a crack in the bark, he hacks them open. The Nuthatch nests very 

 early, as early as the middle of April. 



Two other winter residents are the Downy and the Hairy Woodpeckers. 

 These two birds are first cousins, being so nearly alike that one not well acquainted 

 with them may easily mistake one for the other. The principal point of difference 

 is in size — the Hairy being about three inches longer than the Downy. Both birds 

 are black and white spotted, or barred, on the l)ack and head, and almost white 

 on the belly. They differ only in the markings of the outer tail feathers. In the 

 Downy these are white, barred with black ; in the Hairy, white without black bars. 

 These two, like all the three hundred and fifty known species of Woodpecker, have 

 the strong bill, square on the end like a chisel, with which they gouge the hardest 

 wood in search of food, or in constructing a nesting place. The tongue is very 



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