130 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 



The Tufted Titmouse is a more southern bird than 



the Chickadee and is rarely found north of northern New 



Jersey, where, however, it remains 



Tufted Titmouse, throughout the year . It ifl gix ^ches 



in length, gray above, whitish below, 

 with a black forehead, reddish brown sides, and a con- 

 spicuous crest. Its usual call is a whistled peto, peto 

 peto, which it will utter for hours at a time. It has also 

 a de-de-de-de call, suggesting the Chickadee's well-known 

 notes, but louder and more nasal. 



With no especial structure other than slightly enlarged 

 toe nails, the Nuthatches still differ markedly from other 



White-breasted birds in the eaSe with which the J mn 



Nuthatch, U P <> r down tree trunks. The tail is 



suta caroiimnsis. short and square and is not used in 



Plate LXXI. c ij m bing. The bill is rather slender, 

 but proves an effective instrument in removing insects' 

 eggs and larvae from crevices in the bark and even in 

 excavating a nesting hole in some decayed limb. Several 

 species also use it to crack or " hatch " nuts after they 

 have wedged them in a convenient crevice. 



Of the three species of Nuthatches found in eastern 

 North America the White-breasted is the most common 

 and generally distributed, being a permanent resident from 

 Florida to northern New England. Like many resident 

 birds, it nests early, the five to eight eggs being depos- 

 ited about April 20. They are white, thickly and 

 evenly spotted and speckled with reddish brown and 

 lavender. 



This Nuthatch's usual call-note is a loud yank, 

 yank, while its song is a singular, tenor hah-hah-hah- 

 hah-hah. 



The Red -breasted Nuthatch is a more northern bird 

 than its larger, white-breasted cousin. At sea level it 

 nests from Maine northward, but in the higher parts of 



