143 

 NUTHATCH. 



SITTA EUBOPJBA, Lin. 



The Nuthatch is not generally distributed in 

 Britain, being of rare occurrence in the northern 

 parts, and not hitherto observed in Scotland. Like 

 the Creeper and Woodpecker, it ascends the trunks 

 and branches of trees by means of its long curved 

 claws, but without employing its tail as a support ; 

 and, unlike all our other birds, it descends in the 

 same manner, head foremost. Besides insects, it 

 feeds on the kernels of nuts, to obtain which it 

 places the nut in a crevice found in the bark of 

 some tree, and, with its head downwards, splits it 

 by repeated strokes of its bill. It forms its nest, 

 made of dead leaves, in the holes of trees, which, 

 by means of plaster of clay, it contracts to a size 

 barely admitting of its passage. Its eggs, of which 

 there may be five or seven, are of a greyish white, 

 spotted with reddish brown, and very similar to 

 those of the Great Titmouse. 



