DALMATIAN NUTHATCH. 141 



a vivacious bird ; and it is interesting to watch him running 

 about quickly on the rough bark of his favourite trees. 

 His food consists partly of insects, caterpillars, and other 

 animal matters, and partly of berries and nuts. To the 

 peculiar way in which he contrives to crack the latter he 

 owes his popular name. He fixes the nut in a crevice in 

 the bark of a tree, then moves round and round as if to 

 select a suitable point of attack; and having . chosen his 

 position, and secured himself firmly by the grasp of his 

 powerful feet, he proceeds to hammer at the nut with his 

 strong bill, and this so steadily and effectually that he will 

 soon break through the largest shell. 



The female sits upon her eggs with such assiduity that 

 no persecution w-ill induce her to quit them. Her nest 

 she defends to the last extremity, striking at the intruder 

 with her bill and wings, and making a hissing noise ; and 

 when all her eftbrts fail, she suffers herself to be captured 

 rather than voluntarily abandon her charge. 



In this rapid enumeration we must not pass over the 

 beautiful Palestine Sun-bird ; one of a family which re- 

 sembles the humming-birds in their general habits, and 

 almost equals them in brilliancy of plumage. It is a sight 

 to see these dainty creatures hovering on bright wings in 

 the transparent air, while thrusting their long and slender 

 bills in the corolla of the honeyed flowers from which they 

 sip their sweets. 



Dr. Arthur Adams, the naturalist, says :— " These birds 

 are ethereal, gay, and sprightly in their movements, flitting 

 briskly from flower to flower, and assuming a thousand 



