The Nuthatch Family 63 



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he selects for his summer home. Hence he is a migrant, 

 dwelling in winter in the southern states, and in summer 

 in the latitude of Manitoba and Maine and northward, 

 and also on the summits of the mountains as far south 

 as Virginia. It will be seen that the breeding precincts 

 of the two species overlap, while in winter canadensis 

 comes down from the north and takes up his abode in the 

 southern part of the demesne of carolinensis. 



While the white-breast is partial to oak, beech, maple, 

 and other deciduous forests, his little relative prefers a 

 woodland of pine, being very fond of scampering about 

 on the cones, clinging to them with his strong claws, and 

 extracting the seeds with his stout little bill. His call, 

 though much like the "yank" of the white-breast, is 

 pitched to a higher key, and has even a more pronounced 

 nasal intonation, sounding as if he had taken a severe 

 cold. Besides, he gives expression to some cheery notes 

 that seem to be reserved for his own family or exclusive 

 social circles. I found these pretty nuthatches in the 

 pine woods on Mackinac Island in midsummer, and have 

 good reason to believe that they breed there. 



Cavities in trees or stumps furnish the redbreasts with 

 nesting places suited to their taste ; but they have a cun- 

 ning way of plastering the entrance above and below with 

 pine pitch, so as to make it just large enough to admit 

 their tiny bodies and yet too small to let in their enemies. 

 In this respect they steal the laurels from their white- 

 breasted kinsmen, who seem to have no means by which 

 to lessen the dimensions of their natural doorways. 



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