THE NUTHATCH. 241 



THE NUTHATCH, 



(Sitta Europaa,) 



PLATE XVI. FIGURE I, 



THE Nuthatch, or Nutjobber as this interesting species is some- 

 times called, derives its names from its habit of feeding on the 

 kernels of nuts, which it extracts from their shells in the following 

 curious manner. Having firmly fixed the nuts in a chink or crevice 

 in the bark of a tree, the bird hammers them repeatedly with his 

 sharp-pointed bill until the shells are shattered. ''During the oper- 

 ation," says the Rev. W. T. Bree, in London's Magazine, "it some- 

 times happens that the nut swerves from its fixture, and falls towards 

 the ground; it has not descended, however, for the space of more than 

 a few yards, when the Nuthatch, with admirable adroitness, recovers it 

 in its fall, and replacing it in its former position, commences the 

 attack afresh. The fall of the nut in the air, and its recovery by 

 the bird on the wing, I have seen repeated several times in the 

 space of a few minutes/' Although nuts constitute the favourite food 

 of this species, it also eats acorns, seeds, grain, caterpillars, and 

 various kinds of insects. 



This bird is found in most of the temperate and northern parts of 

 Europe and Asia. In this country it occurs chiefly in the southern 

 and midland counties, but is nowhere very abundant. In Ireland and 

 Scotland it does not appear to have been observed. Its favourite 

 resorts are woods and parks containing large oaks or beech trees; 

 here it may be seen climbing about upon the trunks and larger arms 

 with remarkable ease and rapidity. Its feet and claws are of unusual 

 construction, and specially adapted for holding on to the rugged bark, 

 so that it can even hang head downwards from the under surface of 

 a limb with perfect security. Yarrell says, "the Nuthatch creeps or 

 runs along so smoothly that its motions more resemble those of a 

 mouse than those of a bird." 



The Nuthatch usually constructs its nest in a hollow in the trunk 



2 i 



