186 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



sides and anal regions light brownish-chestnut; no whitish on wings or tail; tail 

 nearly even, or slightly emarginate and rounded ; lateral feathers about twenty one- 

 hundredths inch shortest. 



Length, about five inches ; wing, two and forty one-hundredths inches ; tail, two 

 and sixty-six one-hundredths inches. 



Hob. North-eastern portions of North America to the North Atlantic States. 



This bird occurs in New England only in the most 

 northern parts of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, 

 where it is sometimes resident. I have never met with it 

 alive, and will be obliged to avail myself of Audubon's 

 description of its habits, nest, &c. He says, in describing 

 the nest: 



" It was placed at the height of not more than three feet from 

 the ground, in the hollow of a decayed low stump, scarcely thicker 

 than a man's leg ; the whole so rotten that it crumbled to pieces on 

 being touched. I cautiously removed the woody enclosure, and 

 took possession of the nest, which I obtained in perfect order. It 

 was shaped like a purse, eight inches in depth, two in diameter 

 inside ; its sides about half an inch thick. It was entirely com- 

 posed of the finest fur of different quadrupeds, but principally of 

 the great northern hare, so thickly and ingeniously matted through- 

 out, that it looked as if it had been ' felted ' by the hand of man. 

 It was quite elastic throughout, and rather wider at the bottom, 

 probably in consequence of the natural growth of the young." 



This hardy little bird resembles in its manners the other 

 species of its interesting and beautiful tribe : its notes 

 resemble those of our southern Black-headed Titmouse, but 

 are much weaker. 



Sub-Family SITTING. The Nuthatches. 

 SITTA, LINN^US. 



Sitta, LINN^US, Syst. Nat. 1735 (Agassiz). 



Bill subulate, acutely pointed, compressed, about as long as the head; culmen 

 and commissure nearly straight ; gonys convex and ascending ; nostrils covered by a 

 tuft of bristles directed forward ; tarsi stout, scutellate, about equal to the middle 

 toe, much shorter than the hinder, the claw of which is half the total length ; outer 



