90 



THE OOLOGIST. 



usually uttereri in several, quick repeti- 

 tions. Though these observations were 

 apparently contrary to those of many 

 others, the comparison here given was 

 a very marked one, and may possibly be 

 accounted for by the fact that most 

 birds lose somewhat of the briskness of 

 their songs in the late summer months. 



We watched the bird a few moments, 

 when it suddenly flew a few yards away 

 nearer the edge of the still water, and 

 perched, as before, upon a dead, hoi'i- 

 zontal tamarack branch, giving vent to 

 the same, peculiar, lal)ored note. This 

 was evidently its "nooning," and it had 

 ceased in its active frolics up and down 

 and around the trunks of the trees to 

 adjust its plumage, at this time of the 

 year scanty and dull;' for most of the 

 birds had not yet got over their moult, 

 and many looked exceedingly shabby. 

 Having arranged each feather to suit 

 itself, and so that it would lie smoothly 

 upon its thinly-clad little body, it 

 crouched sleepily upon its perch, as if 

 to take its mid-day nap ; but, presently 

 another of the same species was heard, 

 and away it flew, dodging through the 

 trees until out of sight, and we soon 

 heard two Nuthatches expressing them- 

 selves in a most animated manner, in 

 the direction whence our bird had gone. 



We were very much interested in 

 this newly-made feathered acquaintance, 

 and wanted to procure some specimens. 

 We had no difficulty in doing this ; tor, 

 though the birds, nearly, if not quite as 

 familiar with man as the White-bellied 

 species, seemed to be somewhat less con- 

 spicuous, we had made ourselves suffi- 

 ciently acquainted with its more strik- 

 ing habits, from observation of the first 

 bird, to enable us to search for it suc- 

 cessfully. We met with it on two or 

 three occasions in the course of the day, 

 and had obtained one fair specimen be- 

 fore returning to the raft. These birds, 

 although to be found rather more fre- 

 quently upon the lower branches of the 

 trees than higher up. worked so silently. 



and wormed themselves so much of the 

 time among the leaves and thickest por- 

 tions of the tree, that they were ordina- 

 rily quite unnoticable. This, with the 

 fact of their being so small, and com- 

 monly for a considerable length of time 

 perfectly quiet, save an almost inaudible 

 squeaking note emitted while at work, 

 kept them pretty effectually concealed 

 from us ; especially, as there were many 

 other species whose habits we were 

 equally desirous of being made familiar 

 with, and whose frequent sudden ap- 

 pearance in our path enlisted our atten- 

 tion for the time being. We found this 

 species to be somewhat the more com- 

 mon in the proximity of the water, 

 which appeared to be a rendezvous for 

 a larger number of species than are. usu- 

 ally to be found in so limited a locality. 

 They were not at all gregarious at this 

 season, and we seldom noticed even two 

 together, although the Brown Creepers 

 were thronging the woods in little 

 troops, making everything lively with 

 their '•'•see, see.'''' In the spring and fall, 

 howe\'er, several may be seen together, 

 in company with Titmice and Kinglets. ■ 

 Their habits corresponded with those 

 of iS'. carolinensis, and the only essen- 

 tial difference between the two species 

 was in respect to their size and color, 

 the one under consideration being smal- 

 ler, and red, or dull brown, instead of 

 white bieasted. The. former enjoyed, 

 equally with their larger and respected 

 neighbors, their freedom to place them- 

 selves in every imaginable posture but a 

 reasonable one, clambering out on the 

 branches, head downward, scrambling 

 around them recklessly, and afterward 

 executing some most remarkable man- 

 euvers on the trunk of the tree. Did 

 you ever see two or three Nuthatches 

 happen together on the same tree ? 

 When one discovers that another has 

 trespassed upon its feeding ground, it 

 demeans itself in a manner most incon- 

 sistent with a peaceable following of its 

 own business. S'everal sharp and de- 



