BROWN-HEADKD NUTHATCP, 655 



ami more cackling sound and in spring' thcv have a song, whicli altliough low, is so exccod- 

 ingly sweet and silvery as to sound, when heard in the deep woodlands, like the tinkling 

 of fairv hells. 



For iuany years the breeding habits of the Brown Creeper were nnperfectly known, 

 but we owe the discovery of the nesting site to the researches of Mr. Brewster who found 

 them breeding iu Northern Maine. The nest is usually placed behind a loosened strip of 

 bark on some dead tree Avhich stands eithei' on the margin of the forest or in it. 



FAMILY SITTJDAE. THE NUTHATCHES. 



Sternum, narrow ; not being wider than half the lencrfh of the top of the keel. Coracoid bones, shorter 

 than in the two preceding families. 'J'he marginal indentations are also shallower : being only one-third as 

 deep as the length of the top of the keel. Differs from Paridae in having a longer and more acummate t)ill. 

 The tongue is not only long and linear but is destitute of cilia on the end. Tail, very short ; wiijgs, long and 

 pointed. 



The tongues of the Nuthatches are pef^uliar ; being long, thin, and of a horny appearance. They vary 

 greatly in length among individuals nf the same species, and the end has a jagged appearance as if worn 

 away by constant use. 



GENUS SITTA. THE NUTHATCHES PROPER. 



Gen. Ch. The same as are given for the family. There is but one genus of the Sittidae in the United 

 States, upon which I have based the family characters as given above, and which will also answer for 

 generic. 



SITTA PUSILLA. 

 Brown-headed Nuthatch- 



Sitta pusjila Lath.. Index, Orn. I, 171)0, L'f.;). 



Plate XL. Adult. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, rather stout. Size, small. Bill, not very long and somewhat acuminate. Tail, but 

 slightly i-ounded. Sternum, not stoutly built. Keel, rather short, scarcely exceeding the length of the 

 coracoid bones : but it is as high as one-half the width of the sternum. Tongue, quite long and narrow. 



Color. Adult. Above, dull slat\'-blue. Top of head and upper part of the sides of the neck, pale 

 brown ; with every feather tipped with whitish. There is a spot of silky-white on the nape. A line com- 

 mencing at the base of the bill, running througli the eye and crossing the ear coverts, dark brown. Upper 

 surface of the tail, black ; with the two central feathers like the back ; all the feathers are tipped with brown- 

 ish, which on the six outer is preceded by a bar of white. There is also a narrow line of white on the two 

 middle feathers near the base. Wings above, brownish, edged with white on both webs. Beneath, dirty 

 white ; purest on the chin and sides of the neck, but tinged with buff on the breast and abdomen. The sides 

 and flanks are like the back. Under pertions of the wing and tail, glaucous. Axillaries and under wing 

 coverts, pale bluish. Feathers at base of primaries and on the bend of the wing, white. Tibia, quite dusky. 

 Young, similar, but with a deeper washing of buff beneath. The top of the head and the stripe through the 

 eye are paler. The white of the tail does not extend over as many feathers, becoming obsolete on the central 

 ones. Sexes, alike. Irides, brown. Bill, dark brown, bluish at the base of the upper and lower mandible. 

 Feet and tarsi, brown. 



