62 THE BIRDS OF 



beautiful song of North American birds. 

 I have always hoped to hear it, but thus 

 far never have. The back of this 

 Thrush is dark brown, brighter on the 

 tail. Its breast is gray, spotted with 

 black. It is only a migrant in the Som- 

 erset Hills. 



Nuthatches 



How can Nuthatches balance them- 

 selves when they walk head-foremost 

 down the trunk of a tree? Wood- 

 peckers climb only upward, and hold 

 themselves by their tail, which has the 

 tips of the feathers pointed. The Nut- 

 hatches hold themselves only by their 

 feet. Their tail is square. 



The Red-breasted and White-breasted 

 Nuthatches have bluish gray backs and 

 black crowns with white throats. The 

 former may be distinguished from 

 the latter by having a reddish-brown, 



