48 FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS. 
from the Wrens chiefly in his long stiff tail, with 
pointed feathers, and in his woodpecker-like way of 
feeding on insects in the bark of trees. Upperparts 
mottled white, black, and buff; reddish brown above 
the tail ; tail gray-brown ; underparts white. 
NUTHATCHES AND CHICKADEES. — Paridae. 
Chickadees, straight and 
BILL. 
wee very short. 
airs Le Nuthatches, of medium 
°; 
length, the lower bill 
bent upward. 
First quill short in both Nuthatches 
and Chickadees. 
The Nuthatches are short-tailed, and hunt wood- 
pecker-like, singly and quietly on tree-trunks for 
insects and grubs. The Chickadees are long-tailed, 
and hunt over the branches of trees in loose flocks, 
always calling and hustling, never at rest. 
144. WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 
Sitta carolinensis. — Length, 6 inches. Top of head 
black ; back bluish gray; underparts white. 
145. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Sttta 
canadensis. — Length, 42 inches. Top of head and a 
line through the eye black ; throat and line above the 
eye white; back bluish gray; underparts reddish 
butt. 
146. CHICKADEE TITMOUSE. Parus atri- 
capillus. — Length, 54 inches. Head black ; back 
gray; cheeks, breast, and belly white; sides washed 
with buff. 
HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE. Parus hudsoni- 
cus. — Like the common Chickadee, but a little smaller, 
and having the head brown and cheeks less white, 
and the sides reddish. It is sometimes found in 
winter in company with the common Chickadee. 
