r 



* THE NUTHATCH 



Sitfa europcea. 



LTHOUGH pretty in plu- 

 mage, still more is the Nut- 

 hatch interesting in its 

 habits. It is very nearly 

 allied to the Woodpecker 

 tribe, but it has also many 

 habits, tricks, and manners 

 different from those birds, 

 especially in its food and 

 the manner of obtaining it, 

 as also a peculiarity in plas- 

 tering up the aperture to 

 its nest. This bird received 

 especial notice from the 

 Rev. Gilbert White, he hav- 

 ing mentioned it as many 

 as four times in that en- 

 chanting work of his, the 

 " History of Selborne." His 

 first notice of it is in re- 

 ference to the manner in 

 which it obtains the kernel 

 from out the nut. In that 

 locality it was known as the 

 u Jar Bird ;" but it has also 



