Lovers of Nuts 



WHO loves a nut most, a squirrel, a mouse, a nuthatch, 

 or a boy ? We are inclined to give the first place 

 among the great lovers of nuts to that strange, 

 beautiful, and amusing bird, the nuthatch, called of 

 old, nut-jobber. 



You know a nuthatch when you see a prettily 

 coloured bird, slate-blue above and buff beneath, with 

 dark stripes running back from the eyes, and a short, 

 strong tail. The bird is peculiarly shaped, and the 

 way the head is carried and the effect of the eye-stripes 

 make him appear as if he tapers away from body 

 to beak, in wedge-like form. He runs about trees 

 with marvellous agility, running down a stem head 

 first as easily as he mounts up. He has a most melodi- 

 ous whistle, heard through autumn and winter as well 

 as in spring-time. His call is a sweet, clear "twee- 

 twee, twee-twee," and there is a more song-like call, 

 one ringing, high note, also suggested by the word 

 " twee," repeated rapidly eight or nine times. There 

 is a sound in his notes as of water gurgling from a 

 narrow-necked bottle. 



Above all food he loves nuts. We are sure that no 

 boy could match the industry of the nuthatch in 

 finding, carrying away, cracking, and eating or hiding 

 nuts ; when he has the chance he will thus occupy 



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