120 NORTH AMEIIICAN BIRDS. 



Sitta pygmsea, Vi<;. 



PIOXT KUTHATGH. 



Sitta pj/fim(ai,, Vifious, Zniil. l^cwihcy's Voy. 1830, 25, jil. iv. — Aun. Orn. Hioj;. V, 1839, 

 pi. cau'xv. — In. Hiids Am. IV, pi. col. — Itl'.lcEl. Haiif"' 18;'):!, 153, till), il.viv, tigs. 

 SSti.i, 3306. — Ni'.wiiKiiiiY, P. 1!. H. Hep. VI, iv, 18')7, 7- — Haihd, Hiid.s N. Ain. 

 1858, 378 ; Review, 88. — Sci.AIKI!, P. Z. S. 1859, 363 (Xsilapo,^. — 1b. Cutal. 1861, 

 15, no. i»3. — CooPKlt, Oni. ("al. I, 1870, 55. 



Sp. CiiAK. Above a.-iliy-hliic ; licad and iii>per part of neck greenish n.shy-brown, it.s 

 lower lionlcr pas.«iiig a little lu'low the eve, where it is darker; nape with an obsicure 

 whitisli .spot. Chin and throat wliiti.<li; rest of lower part.s browni.sh-white ; the .sides 

 and behind like the baek, but paler. ^Middle tail-feather like the back ; it^i basal half with 

 a long white spot; its outer web edged with black at the base. Length about 4 inches; 

 wing, 2.40. 



Had. Western and Middle Provinces of I'nited States ; south to Xalapa. 



Tliis species is closely related to Sitta pmilla of the Southern States. 

 The brown of the head has, however, an olivaceous-green tinge not seen 

 in the other ; the Avliite sjiot on tlie nape loss distinct. The middle tail- 

 feather has its basal half white and the outer web edged with black at the 

 base. This black edging is never seen in the other, and the white patch is 

 reduced to a faint trace, only visible in very higlily pluraaged specimens. 



Habits. This diminutive species of Nuthatcli is found througliont our 

 Pacific coast and on tlie western shtpe of the liocky Mountains, from Wash- 

 ington Ten-itory to Southern California. It is idso to be found in New 

 Mexico, and specimens have been ])rocured from Mexico. 



Dr. Kennerly found them (juite abundant in the Sierra Madre and San 

 Francisco Mountains, even as high uj) as the snow-line, seeking tlieir insect 

 food among the to])s of the lofty j)ines. Dr. Newberry frequently met with 

 tliese Xuthatches in the most wooded ]ilaces on his route, where water was 

 near and any consiilerable amount of animal life visible. He, however, 

 never met with them in the forests of yellow ])ines. Dr. Oambel mentions 

 their almost extraordinary abundance, in the winter montiis, in U]»per Cali- 

 fornia. Around ^lonterey, at times, tlie trees ai)peared almost alive with 

 them, as the}' ran up aiul down and around the Imiiuihes and trunks, ntter- 

 ing their monotonous and queruhtus cries. Their note he describes as a 

 re])eated wiiistling irit-vif. When one utters this cry, tlie rest join in. 

 Tliey also have a whistling trill wliile they are busily seardiing the tree in 

 every part, and they never leave till they have pretty thoroughly searched 

 every crack. 



Dr. Cooper oidy met witli tliis Nuthatch in the open pine-foi-ests about 

 Fort Colville, near tlie 4",ltli ])aridlel. Tiiey were as.sociateil in smidl flocks 

 alM>ut the 20th of Octolier, when tiiere were heavy frosts at night. The 

 chir])ing noise they made resend)led the cries of young diickens. Their 

 liabits were very similar to those of the I'luiltriparuH minimus. 



