230 Birds of Oregon and WasJiington 



THE NUTHATCHES. 



What are these birds, in whose company the 

 Chickadees and the Kinglets rove in winter 

 time ? The Nuthatches are creepers, and have 

 long bills which are a great advantage in prob- 

 ing in the crevices of the bark for the insects 

 that the Chickadees and Kinglets, with their 

 short bills, cannot reach. The Nuthatch has 

 slightly elongated toe-nails, which may account 

 for the great ease with which it runs up or down 

 tree-trunks. They are called Hatches or Hack- 

 ers, because some of the species use their bills to 

 hack or crack nuts which they have previously 

 hidden in crevices. 



Edith M. Thomas has written a poem, "To 

 the Nuthatch," which so perfectly describes 

 this bird of the tree-trunk, that it is inserted 

 here : 



" Shrewd little haunter of woods all gray 

 "Whom I meet on my walk of a winter day — 

 You're busy inspecting each cranny and hole 

 In the ragged bark of yon hickory pole ; 

 You intent on your task, and I on the law 

 Of your wonderful head and gymnastic claw 1 



