428 PASSERINE BIRDS. 



keep their long golden plumes opened and vibrating — constantly 

 changing their positions, flying across and across each other from 

 branch to branch, and appearing proud of their activity and beauty. 

 The long, downy, golden feathers are displayed in the manner in 

 which alone they can be seen to full advantage ; instead of hanging 

 down each side, as during repose and flight, they are erected ver- 

 tically over the back, and there opened and spread out like a fan, 

 completely overshadowing the whole body. The effect of this is 

 inexpressibly beautiful. The large ungainly legs are no longer a 

 deformity, as the bu'd crouches upon them : the dark-brown body 

 and wings form but a central support to the splendour above, from 

 which more brilliant colours might distract attention ; while the 

 pale-yellow head, swelling throat of rich metallic green, and bright 

 golden eye, give vivacity and life to the whole figure. Above rise 

 the intensely-shining orange-coloiued plumes, richly marked with a 

 stripe of deep red, and opening out into broad waving wreaths of 

 aery down, curving and closing upon each other so as to form a sort 

 of halo, in the centre of which the bright-green head looks like a 

 little emerald sun, with its rays formed by the filaments of the two 

 Illumes. 



Family of Tenuieostres.* 



The birds composing this family liaye a slender 

 elongated beak, always without any notch ; it is 

 sometimes straight and sometimes bent like a bow. 

 The principal genera are the Xuthatclies, Creepers, 

 Humming-birds, and Hoopoes. 



Fig. 355. — head of sdn-bird. 



The Nuthatches (Sitta) have a medium-sized, straight, depressed 

 beak, which is cylindrical, conical, and cutting at the point. Their 

 tongue is short and very slightly protractile. They climb trees in all 

 directions in search of insects, and nestle in their trunks. The 

 Common European Nuthatch is of a bluish ash-colour ; it is seden- 

 tary, and inhabits forest trees. The male assists the female in spring 

 in the construction of her nest. They establish themselves in a hole 

 in the tree, and if the hole is too large for them, they reduce its size 

 by plastering it with mud, a habit that has acquired for them their 

 name of " Mason Pie." They line the interior with a thin bed of 

 moss, upon which the female lays from five to seven greyish eggs, 

 speckled ^\'ith red spots. The young escape from their shell about 

 the month of May, and are very soon able to provide for themselves. 



* Tenuis, slender ; rostrum, a heaTc — slender-hilled. 



