56 TRambles vvttb mature Stufcents 



An old oak tree on the lawn near by is much 

 used by these birds ; they ram the barcelonas into 

 crevices in the rugged bark, and whilst they hang 

 head downward to gain the greater force, I hear 

 the beaks' loud hammering going on, and afterwards 

 find the empty nutshells, from which the kernels 



NUTHATCH AND NEST. 



have been extracted, still remaining in the interstices 

 of the tree bark. 



The loud call-note of this bird is one of the early 

 signs of coming spring. It is hard to believe that the 

 small feathered creature that we see creeping up a 

 tree-stem like a grey mouse can be filling the woods 



