HOW IT CRACKS NUTS. 125 



the Tits. This species is not generally distributed over 

 England, being of very rare occurrence in the northern 

 parts: in Scotland it has, we believe, never been seen. 

 It keeps chiefly to woods and retired situations, and gene- 

 rally makes its nest in a decayed tree, sometimes taking 

 the deserted habitation of the Woodpecker, and construct- 

 ing the entrance with plaster of clay or mud, so as to leave 

 only just sufficient room for itself to pass in and out. Dead 

 leaves and moss form the lining of the cavity, or sometimes 

 only the dust of the decayed wood. The eggs, generally 

 six or seven in number, are of a dingy white colour, with 

 dusky spots. They are very like those of the Great Tit. 



During incubation, the female, who is assiduously fed 

 by her partner, sits with great closeness and pertinacity, 

 rather suffering herself to be taken than desert her eggs. 

 Should an abduction be attempted, she will strike at the 

 invader with bill and wings, hiss like a snake, and make 

 every possible effort to drive off the invader of her fortress. 

 The eggs are hatched in May. There is seldom more than 

 one brood in a season. As soon as the young can provide 

 for themselves, they leave the parents, and retire into the 

 woods, where they seldom mingle much with other birds, 

 although they may be occasionally seen in company with 

 Titmice and Woodpeckers, than the latter of which birds 

 they are more expert climbers, running up and down the 

 tree in all directions, often with the head downwards, 

 which indeed seems to be a favourite position, especially 

 when building a nest. Macgillivray thus describes the 

 operations of this nimble little Nutcracker : ' Like the 

 Creepers and Woodpeckers, it ascends the trunks and 

 branches of trees by means of its long curved claws, but 

 without employing its tail as a support, and it descends 

 in the same manner, head foremost, in which respect it 

 differs from all the birds that occur in our island. In 

 this manner it searches the bark for insects and larvae; 

 sometimes betakes itself for the same purpose to thatched 

 roofs, and occasionally alights on the ground, where it 

 proceeds by short leaps. Besides insects, it feeds on the 

 kernels of nuts, which having fixed in a convenient crevice 

 in the bark, it hammers with its strong pointed bill, until 



