SITTING. SITTA. 217 



ovate, rather large ; neck short ; body very short. Tarsus 

 very short, compressed, with seven very broad anterior seu- 

 tella ; toes large, much compressed, the first long, the three 

 anterior united at the base as far as the second joint ; claws 

 long, much arched, extremely compressed, laterally grooved, 

 very acute. Plumage soft and blended ; wings long, very 

 broad, rounded, the first quill very small, the fourth longest ; 

 tail short, even, of twelve rounded feathers. 



140. SITTA EUROP^EA. EUROPEAN NUTHATCH. 



Upper parts bluish-grey ; throat and cheeks white ; loral 

 space and a band behind the eye black ; lower parts light red- 

 dish-yellow, sides brownish-red. Young similar, but with 

 the plumage more loose and the colours paler. 



Male, 5ft, 10J, 3^, &, A, *|, *V 



The Nuthatch is not generally distributed in Britain, be- 

 ing of rare occurrence in the northern parts of England, and 

 not hitherto observed in Scotland. Like the Creeper 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 our other birds. 

 Besides insects, it feeds on the kernels of nuts, which it per- 

 forates with its strong pointed bill. All its actions are abrupt 

 and lively, like those of the Tits. It nestles in a hole of a 

 tree, laying six or seven eggs, which are white, spotted with 

 light red. 



Sitta europsea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 177. Sitta europeea, 

 Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i. 407. Sitta europsea/ European Nut- 

 hatch, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iii. 48. 



ORDER X. SCANDRICES. CLIMBERS. 



Birds of small or moderate size, having the body com- 

 pact, the neck of moderate length, the head rather large. 

 Bill straight, or slightly curved, usually about the length 

 of the head, strong, tapering, compressed toward the end. 

 Tongue long, slender, flattened and fringed, or cylindrical, 



