Nuthatches SONG-BIRDS. 



The Nuthatches are great friends of the Kinglets and 

 Titmice, and often travel in flocks with them. They pass 

 for being shy, but are not so in reality, but merely elusive 

 because of their restless habits, which seldom allow them to 

 stay in one spot long enough to be examined. In fact " tree- 

 mice," the local name our farmers give them, is quite 

 appropriate. 



This species has a particularly adroit way of knocking off 

 bits of decayed or loose bark with the beak, to obtain the 

 grubs or larvse hidden beneath. They never suck the sap 

 from trees, as is sometimes supposed, but are wholly bene- 

 ficial to vegetation. 



Red-breasted Nuthatch: Sitta canadensis. 



PLATE VIII. FIG. 11. 



Length : 4.50-4.75 inches. 



Male : Above lead- coloured, brownish on wings and tail. Crown and 



sides of neck black. White stripe over eye, meeting on brow. 



Under parts rust-red. Bill dark lead-colour, feet lead-brown. 

 Female : Paler, crown and back of one colour. 

 Song : Note " Day-day- day-dait ! " 

 Season : A winter resident in Connecticut, but seen most frequently 



in early spring and late autumn. 

 Breeds : Chiefly north of the United States. 

 Nest : In holes, like the White-breasted species. 

 Eggs : Very heavily speckled with red-brown. 

 Range, : North America at large, migrating south in winter. 



This species, like the preceding, and the whole family, 

 in fact, walk head down around the trunks of trees, and 

 often roost in this singular fashion. Their bright colouring 

 makes them particularly noticeable among the leafless trees. 

 They come about the garden every spring, but more particu- 

 larly in late November, when I have noted them in numbers 

 011 Thanksgiving Day in 1888-89-91-92. They search the 

 bark of the orchard trees, at this time, with all the care of 

 the Kinglets ; notwithstanding, this species does not seem to 

 be considered by some authorities a common bird in Con- 

 necticut. 



74 



