24 BIRD. NOTES 



back again for more in an incredibly short space 

 of time. I believe they store it. 



The little cole tit timidly bides its time upon a 

 rose-branch, and when the nuthatch goes, up it 

 conies for a little bit, snaps it up nervously and is 

 away with it at once. Those who stay to feed do 

 it circumspectly, they are so afraid of the long 

 sharp beak of the nuthatch. It is difficult to 

 frighten a nuthatch : if I am too close it will hang 

 on for a moment with its claws to the edge of the 

 sill, and look sagely at me as if to ask leave. It 

 swings its long beak and large head to and fro all 

 the time, as if it wished to examine circumstances 

 on all sides, and, if possible, to see behind my 

 head ; then, seizing three or four large pieces at 

 once, away it goes. But though tame and amusing, 

 there is something in its flat figure and sprawling 

 legs that I dislike ; it is almost reptilian. I am 

 afraid too that it is a cruel bird and dangerous to 

 the others, judging by the savage stabs with which 

 it sometimes attacks them, and their fear of it. I 

 think I must lay to its charge the untimely death 

 of a poor little chaffinch that I found dead below 

 the window-sill one day, with a hole in its skull. 

 I know that the nuthatch had been feeding and 

 fighting there in the morning whilst I painted 

 behind my curtain ; and I heard once a shrill cry, 

 and a flap of feathers against the window. When 



