S. CANADENSIS : RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH. 89 



Dr. T. M. Brewer has very erroneously indicated 

 the manner and character of the presence of this bird 

 in New England, in stating that it is migratory in 

 southern, and a summer resident in northern, portions. 

 The bird is a resident throughout the year in the Cana- 

 dian Fauna, where it breeds ; it is a migrant, and 

 also a winter resident, in the Alleghanian and Caro- 

 linian. On the whole, it is rather a more northerly 

 species than the White-bellied, the alleged instance of 

 its breeding in Massachusetts having proved to be 

 erroneous (Am. Nat., xi, 1877, p. 565 ; see xii, 1878, 

 p. 397)' From its breeding grounds in Maine, New 

 Hampshire, Vermont, and 

 still farther north, it enters 

 the nether New England 

 States early in October ; 

 many pass southward, but 

 numbers remain until the v-' 



, , r J^ r ^^ ' FiG 20. — Head of Red bellied 



latter part of the followmg nuthatch. (Nat. size.) 



April. It is a rather com- 

 mon, at least not a rare bird, both in its summer and 

 winter resorts ; and is still more numerous during the 

 migrations. Such appears to be the usual distribution 

 of the species in New England. I have no doubt, 

 however, that the bird actually breeds at times in 

 Massachusetts. About the middle of August, 1874, 

 I found young birds on Cutty Hunk Island, in Buz- 

 zard's Bay, near New Bedford ; and Mr. Hitchcock, 

 of Ware, Mass., records it as breeding at that place. 

 A good account of its nidification in Maine has been 

 given by Mr. Hardy (Bull. Nutt. Club, iii, 1878, p. 

 196). The nest, eggs, and breeding habits are very 

 similar to those of the White-bellied Nuthatch. 



