84 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Sitta carolinensis Lath. 



WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH. 



Popular synonyms. Tomtit; Blue Sapsucker. 



Sitta carolinensis LATH. Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 262,-WiLS. Am. Orn. i, 1808, 10, pi. 2, fig. 

 3. NUTT. Man. 1,1832, 581. AUD. Orn. Bi>g. ii, 1S34, !:); v, 1831, 473, pi. 152; Synop. 



1839, 167: B. Am. Iv, 1842, 175, pi. 217. BAIBD, B. N. Am. 1858. 3?4; Cat. N. Am. B. 

 1859, No. 277; Review. 1864. 86,-CouES, Key, 1872. 83; Check List. 1873. No. 38; 2d 

 ed. 1882, No. 57; B. N. W. 1874, 24.-B. B. & B. Hist N. Am. B. i, 1874, 114, pi. 8. 

 figs. 1.2,-BiDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 51. 



HAB. Eastern United States and British Provinces. (Replaced in western United 

 States by the more slender billed, duller colored form, S. carolinensis aculeata.) 



This well-known bird is abundant throughout the State, and is a 

 permanent resident everywhere except perhaps in the extreme 

 northern counties. In the South it breeds very early, the writer 

 having observed, on April 19, 1883, a female feeding well-feathered 

 young in a knot-hole of a small white-oak tree (about 30 feet from 

 the ground). A week later the tree was cut down, but the young 

 had flown. This was at Wheatland, Indiana, but there is no doubt 

 that the species breeds equally early in corresponding latitudes in 

 Illinois. 



Sitta canadonsis Linn. 



RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH. 



Popular synonym. Canada Nuthatch. 

 Sitta canadensis LINN. 8. N. ed. 12, i. 176G, 177.-NUTT. Man. 1, 1833, 581; 2d ed. i, 



1840, 007. AUD. Orn. Biog. 11, 1834, 24, pi. 105; synop. 1S39, 167; B. Am. iv, 1842. 17!), 

 pi. 248.-BAIBD, B. N. Am. 1858, 376; Cat. N. Am. B. 185!), No. 279; Beview. 1864, 87. 

 COUKS, Key, 1872, 83; Check List. 1873, No. 39; 2d ed. 1882, No. 59; B. N. W. 1874, 

 25; B. Col. Val. 1878, 136. U. B. & R. Hist. N. A. B. i, 1874, 118. pi. 8, flg. 7. BIDGW. 

 Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 52. 



Sitta varia, BABTB. Trav. 1791.289 bis.-WiLS. Am. Orn. i,1808, 40. pi. 2, flg. 4. 



HAB Northern North America, to the limit of timber; breeding chiefly north of thn 

 United States (except in elevated mountain regions); Eastern United States chiefly i.. 

 winter. 



While this species breeds sparingly in the extreme northern coun- 

 ties of the State, it is only a winter visitor to the southern portion. 

 Indeed, its appearance there is both infrequent and irregular; at 

 least this is the writer's experience in Wabash and Richland coun- 

 ties. During winter it is semi-gregarious, roving in scattered troops 



