White-breasted Nuthatch 25 



early autumn and whistle lustily about your 

 home. 



WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 

 Called also: Tree Mouse; Devil Downhead 



When it comes to acrobatic performances in 

 the trees, neither the chickadee nor the tit- 

 mouse can rival their relatives, the little bluish 

 gray nuthatches. Indeed, any circus might 

 be glad to secure their expert services. Hang- 

 ing fearlessly from the topmost branches of the 

 tallest pine, running along the under side of 

 horizontal limbs as comfortably as along the 

 top of them, or descending the trunk head fore- 

 most, these wonderful Httle gymnasts keep their 

 nerves as cool as the thermometer in January. 

 From the way they travel over any part of the 

 tree they wish, from top and tip to the bottom 

 of it, no wonder they are sometimes called Tree 

 Mice. Only the fly that walks across the 

 ceiling, however, can compete with them in 

 clinging to the under side of boughs. 



Why don't they fall off? If you ever have a 

 chance, examine their claws. These, you will 

 see, are very much curved and have sharp little 

 hooks that catch in any crack or rough place in 

 the bark and easily support the bird's weight. 

 As a general rule the chickadee keeps to the 



