120 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Sitta pygmsea, Vig. 



PIGMY NUTHATCH. 



Sitta pygmcea, Vicjor.s, Zool. Beecliey's Voy. 1839, 25, pi. iv. — Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 

 pi. ccccxv. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, pi. ccl. — Reich. Handb. 1853, 153, tab. dxiv, figs. 

 3365, 3366. — Newberry, P. E. K. Eep. VI, iv, 1857, 79. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 

 1858, 378 ; Review, 88. — Sclater, P. Z. 8. 1859, 363 (Xalapa). — Ib. Catal. 1861, 

 15, no. 93. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 55. 



Sp. Char. Above ashy-blue ; head and upper part of neck greenish ashy-brown, its 

 lower border passing a little below the eye, where it is darker; nape with an obscure 

 whitish spot. Chin and throat whitish ; rest of lower parts brownish-white ; the sides 

 and behind like the back, but paler. Middle tail-feather like the back ; its basal half with 

 a long white spot; its outer web edged with black at the base. Length about 4 inches; 

 wing, 2.40. 



Har. Western and Middle Provinces of United States ; south to Xalapa. 



This species is closely related to Sitta jiv^iUa of the Southern States. 

 Tlie brown ot" the head has, however, an olivaceous-green tinge not seen 

 in the other ; the white spot on the nape less distinct. The middle tail- 

 feather has its Ijasal half white and the outer web edged with black at the 

 base. This Idack edging is never seen in the other, and the white patch is 

 reduced to a faint trace, only visible in veiy highly plumaged specimens. 



Habits. This diminutive species of Nuthatch is found througliout our 

 Pacific coast and on the western slope of the Kocky Mountains, from AVasli- 

 ington Territory to Southern California. It is also to be found in JSTevv 

 Mexico, and specimens have been procured from Mexico. 



Dr. Kennerly found them quite abundant in the Sierra Madre and San 

 Francisco Mountains, even as high up as the snow-line, seeking their insect 

 food among the tops of the lofty pines. Dr. Newberry frequently met with 

 these Nuthatches in the most wooded places on his route, wliere water Mas 

 near and any considerable amount of animal life visible. He, liowever, 

 never met with them in the forests of yellow pines. Dr. Gambel mentions 

 their almost extraordinary abundance, in the winter months, in Upper Cali- 

 fornia. Around Monterey, at times, the trees appeared almost alive with 

 them, as they ran up and down and around the branches and trunks, utter- 

 ing their monotonous and querulous cries. Their note he describes as a 

 repeated whistling vnt-ivit. When one utters this cry, the rest join in. 

 They also have a whistling trill while they are busily searching the tree in 

 every part, and they never leave till they have pretty thoroughly searched 

 every crack. 



Dr. Cooper only met with tliis Nuthatch in the open pine-forests about 

 Fort Colville, near the 49th parallel. They were associated in small flocks 

 about the 20th of October, when there were heavy frosts at night. The 

 chirping noise they made resembled the cries of young chickens. Their 

 habits were very similar to those of the Psaltriimrus miniynus. 



