96 Synopsis of the Birds 



moderate ; spurious feather short ; second, third and fourth 

 primaries longest. Tail rather short, of twelve feathers 

 broad and rounded at tip. 



Sexes similar : young differing but little from the adult. 

 Moult once a year. 



Participate in the habits of the Pici, of the Certhiae, and of 

 the Pari. Dwell in woods : climb the trunk and branches of 

 trees, both ascending and descending. Feed principally on 

 insects and larva?, which they extract from trees in the man- 

 ner of the Woodpeckers ; when pressed by hunger perforate 

 nuts and fruits with their bill. Build in hollow trees ; eggs 

 numerous. 



Inhabit all cold and temperate countries. Closely related 

 to Parus, from which the Anthomyzi ought not to separate 

 them.* 



152. Sitta carolinensis, Briss. Plumbeous; head and neck 

 above black ; beneath pure white ; vent light ferruginous ; 

 lateral tail feathers black and white. 



Young, head plumbeous. 



White breasted black-capped Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, 

 JVils Am. Om. i. p. 40. pi. 2. fig. 3. 



Inhabits throughout North America : common : resident. 



153. Sitta canadensis, L. Plumbeous; head and neck above, 

 and line through the eye, black ; beneath rusty ; lateral tail 

 feathers black and white. 



Young, head plumbeous. 



White-breasted black-capped Nuthatch. Wils. Am. Om. i. 

 p. 40- pi- 2. fig. 4. 



^Authors disagree respecting the collocation of this genus. Cuvier 

 and Illiger, attending only to the character of the bill, place it near Stur- 

 nus; but almost all other authors, with much more propriety, arrange it 

 with Dendrocolaptes and Certhia, between which genera its natural sta- 

 tion seems to be. 



