484 NUTHATCHES 



There is such a lack of sentiment in the Nuthatch's character, he 

 seems so matter-of-fact in all his ways, that it is difficult to imagine 

 him indulging in anything like song. But even he can not withstand 

 the all-conquering influences of spring, and at that season he raises his 

 voice in a peculiar monotone a tenor hah-hah-hah-hah-hah sounding 

 strangely like mirthless laughter. 



727b. S. c. atkinsi Scott. FLORIDA WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 

 Similar to the preceding, but somewhat smaller, the wing-coverts and quills 

 but slightly or not at all tipped with whitish, the female with the top of the 

 head and nape black, as in the male. W M 3*32; T., 1'80; B., 70. 



Range. Breeds in Austroriparian fauna from Miss. e. along the coast 

 to Fla., and n. to S. C. 



Nesting date, San Mateo, Fla., Mch. 16. 



728. Sitta canadensis Linn. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Ad. <?. 

 Top of head and a wide stripe through eye to nape shining black; a white 

 line over eye; upperparts bluish gray, no black marks on secondaries, or 

 tips to wing-coverts; outer tail-feathers black, with white patches near their 

 tips; middle ones bluish gray; throat white; rest of underparts ochraceous- 

 buff. Ad. 9. Similar, but top of head and stripe through the eye bluish 



gray, like the back; underparts paler. 

 L., 4-62; W., 2'66; T., T58; B., '50. 



Range. N. A. Breeds in Canadian 

 zone from the upper Yukon Valley, and 

 N. F., s. to n. Minn., Mich., and Mass., 

 and s. in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky 

 Mts. to Calif., Ariz., and N. M., and in 

 the Alleghanies to N. C. ; winters from s. Canada 

 s. to L. Calif., and the Gulf States. 



Washington, irregularly abundant W. V., some- 

 times rare, Sept. 15-May 10. Ossining, irregular 

 W. V., Aug. 8-May 8. Cambridge, irregular T. V. 

 FIG. 134. Red -breasted and W. V., Aug. 15-Nov. 25; Nov. 25-Apl. 15. 

 Nuthatch. (Natural size.) N. Ohio, tolerably common W. V., Sept. 4-May 

 22. Glen Ellyn, irregular T. V., Apl. 24-May 21; 



Aug. 19-Dec. 12. SE. Minn., common T. V., uncommon W. V., Sept. 24- 

 Apl. 21. 



Nest, of grasses, in a hole in a tree or stump. Eggs, 4-7, white or creamy 

 white, speckled with cinnamon-, rufous-brown, and lavender, '60 x '47. 

 Date, Calais, Maine, May 7. 



While resembling the White-breasted Nuthatch, this more northern 

 species differs from it sufficiently both in notes and appearance to be 

 easily distinguished. Its black face-stripe is a noticeable character, 

 while to the trained ear its feigner, finer, more nasal, slightly drawled, 

 penny-trumpet-like yna, yna is quite unlike the White-breast's vigorous 

 yank, yank. The Red-breast has an evident partiality for pine trees, 

 and may be seen hovering about the cones while looking for a foothold 

 from which to extract their seeds. 



729. Sitta pusilla Lath. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH. Ads. Top and 

 back of head grayish brown, sometimes tipped with pale ashy; a whitish 

 patch on nape; no white over eye; rest of upperparts bluish gray; outer tail- 

 feathers black, tipped with grayish, middle ones bluish gray; underparts 

 grayish white; the breast, particularly in the fall, with a tinge of buff; sides 

 gray. L., 4'50; W., 2'60; T., 1'25; B., '52. 



