EUROPEAN NUTHATCH. Ill 



will force this little bird from its habitation when 

 sitting: it defends its nest to the last extremity, 

 strikes the invader with its bill and wings, and 

 makes a hissing noise; and after every effort of 

 defence, will suffer itself to be taken in hand rather 

 than quit." 



" The Nuthatch is more expert in climbing than 

 the Woodpecker, for it runs in all directions up 

 and down a tree; whereas the other is never ob- 

 served to descend; the stiff tail of those birds sup- 

 port them in the act of climbing and hacking. 

 The flexible tail of the Nuthatch gives it no such 

 advantage, nor does it seem to want it;jfor its 

 most favourite position, when breaking a nut, is 

 with the head downwards. In autumn it is no 

 uncommon thing to find in the crevices of the 

 bark of an old tree a great many broken nut-shells, 

 the work of this bird, who repeatedly returns to 

 the same spot for this purpose. When it has fixed 

 the nut firm in a chink, it turns on all sides, in 

 order to strike it with most advantage. This, with 

 the common hazel-nut is a work of some labour ; 

 but it strikes a filbert with ease. In defect of 

 such food, insects and their larva? are sought after, 

 amongst the moss on trees and old thatched build- 

 ings. It is commonly met with about orchards, 

 and is sometimes seen in the cyder season picking 

 the seeds from the refuse of the pressed apples. 

 The note is various; in the spring it has a remark- 

 able' loud shrill whistle, which ceases after incuba- 

 tion; in the autumn is a double reiterated cry." 



