BRITISH BIRDS. 



285 



THE NUTHATCH.* 



NUTJOBBER, WOODCRACKER. 



(Sitta Europca, Linn. Sittcllc torchcpot, Temm.) 



THE length is near six inches; bill strong, 

 black above, beneath almost white; the eyes 

 hazel; a black stroke passes over each eye, from 

 the bill, extending down the side of the neck as 

 far as the shoulder; all the upper part of the body 

 is of a fine blue grey; the cheeks and chin \vhite; 

 breast and belly of a pale orange; sides marked 

 with streaks of chesnut; quills dusky; the tail is 

 short, the two middle feathers grey, the rest dusky, 

 three of the outermost spotted with white; legs 



* The order Anisoductyles of Terhminck includes' three British 

 genera, viz., the Nuthatch, the Creeper, and the Hoopoe. 



