Birds of Indiana. 1133 



early in May, and again in September. Sometimes, however, it will 

 be found migrating early in March, and will be abundant in October. 

 Other years, it will occur locally as a rare winter resident, not only 

 as far north as our northern boundary, but still farther north in Illi- 

 nois — Lake Forest (Parker), and on beyond to Palmer, on the upper 

 peninsula of Michigan, where, Mr. 0. B. Warren informs me, it is a 

 permanent resident. It also sometimes breeds in Indiana. Dr. A. 

 W. Brayton has so reported it from the northern part of the State, 

 and Prof. B. W. Evermann found young just able to fly in Carroll 



Head of Red-breasted Nuthatch. Natural size. 



County, in August, 1878. About Brookville I have found them, some 

 years, quite common between April 30 (1885) and May 15 (1879). 

 Then they frequent the denser woodland and may be readily recog- 

 nized either by sight or sound. Their drawled, nasal utterance is 

 quite different from that of the larger species, just mentioned. It has 

 been expressed by Mr. F. M. Chapman as yna, yna. It has been 

 taken during the spring migrations at Lafayette, March 13, 1897, May 

 4, 1897; English Lake, March 18, 1894; Greensburg, March 29, 1896, 

 May 9, 1893; Spearsville, April 11, 1897; Bloomington, April 21, 1885; 

 Carroll County, May 3, 1883, May 7, 1885; Eichmond, May 16, 1897. 



In the fall they have been noted at Chicago, 111., August 25, 1886; 

 Lafayette, Ind., August 30, 1895, October 31, 1896; Wabash, Septem- 

 ber 15, 1891; Cincinnati, 0., September 15, 1878; Bicknell, October 

 11, 1895. They were found wintering at Greensburg the winter of 

 1896-7 (Shannon); at Bloomington, the winters of 1882-3 and 1885-6 

 (Blatchley); Spearsville, 1894-5 (Barnett); Lafayette, 1895-6 (Test); 

 Waterloo, 1888-9 (H. W. McBride); Cook County, 111., 1894-5 (Parker), 

 and were very abundant there the winter of 1866-7 (Aiken). 



Their habits are much similar to those of the last mentioned species. 

 Like it, they are great creepers and are diligent insect hunters. 



