THE HOOPOE. 311 



offensive matter, in conformity with the laudable practice 

 of most other birds. In spite of the martial appearance 

 of its crest, it is said to be excessively timid, and to fly 

 from an encounter with the smallest bird that opposes it. 

 It lives principally on the ground, feeding on beetles and 

 ants. On trees it sometimes perches but does not climb, 

 and builds its nest in holes in trees and walls, rarely in 

 clefts of rocks. It walks with a show of dignity when on 

 the ground, erecting its crest from time to time. In 

 spring the male utters a note not unlike the coo of a 

 Wood-pigeon, which it repeats several times, and at other 

 seasons it occasionally emits a sound something like the 

 shrill note of the Greenfinch. But it is no musician and is 

 as little anxious to be heard as seen. The nest is a simple 

 structure composed of a few scraps of dried grass and 

 feathers, and contains from four to six eggs. 



THE l^UTHATCH. 



SITTA EUflOPiEA. 



Upper plumage bluish grey ; a black streak across the eye ; cheeks and throat 

 white ; under plumage dull orange-red ; outer tail-feathers black, with a white 

 spot near the end, tipped with giej, the two central ones grey; beak bluish 

 black, the lower mandible white at the base ; feet light brown. Length six 

 inches. Eggs white, spotted with two shades of purplish red. 



Standing, one winter's day, by the side of a pond, near a 

 row of tall elms, and watching some boys sliding, I heard ^ 

 the few short twittering notes of a Nuthatch overhead, 

 and it at once occurred to me how I should describe the 

 note in such a way that it should be infaUiblyrecognised. 

 It is precisely hke the sound made by a pebble thrown so 

 as to bound along ice. This is the winter note. On fine 

 sunny days in February it begins to add to its simple 

 call a more musical sound, approaching a whistle. 

 Further on in the season, the twitter is heard no more, 

 and is exchanged altogether for a not unmelodious 

 whistle, several times repeated, rarely protracted into 



