I'ARID.K — THE TITMICE. 121 



Mr. J. K. T^nl ibtind tliis Xuthatcli an ahuiuliuit bird along the entire 

 lengtli of the hotindary line from the coast to the Rocky Mountain.s. It was 

 also conunon on Vancouver Island. Tliey were seen in large flocks in com- 

 pany with the ('liicka(h'e.s, excei)t during the nesting-time, which is in June. 

 A few were winter residents at Colville, but the greater number left in 

 November, lie descriljes it as a very active bird, always on the move. 

 After nesting they congregate in large flocks and move about from tree to 

 tree, twittering a low sweet note; as if singing to themselves, now climbing 

 back downwards along the under sides of the toi)most branches of tall pines, 

 searching into every crevice for insects, or, descending to the ground, cling- 

 ing to the slender flower-stalks for other insects. They nest in June, make 

 a hole in tlie dead brandi of a pine, and deposit their eggs on the bare chips 

 of the wood. Tliis account does not agree with the experience of California 

 ornithologists, wlut have found a loose nest within the excavation. 



Mr. Kidgway foimd this Nutliatch abundant amimg the pines of tlie Sierra 

 Nevada, in the vicinity of Carson City. They were found generally in pairs. 

 Its note is said to greatly resenil)le the vociferous pee])ing of some of the 

 small Sand])ipers, being sharp, loud, and distinct, and vigorously and continu- 

 ously uttered, whether clindjing or flying. He found it exceedingly hard to 

 discover this bird among the branches, or even when flying, owing to the 

 swiftness and irregularity of its flight. When the female of a pair had been 

 killed, the male bird was extremely loud in his lamentations. Diminutive 

 as this bird is, Mr. IJidgway states that it is also the noisiest of all tlie feath- 

 ered inhabitants of the ]iines, though it is less active in the pursuit of insects 

 than the larger species. 



Nests of this bird obtained ncnr Monterey appear to be as well made as 

 those of any of this gemis, lining the cavity in which they are placed and 

 conforming to it in size anil slnqtc, the materials sutflciently interwoven to 

 permit i-emoval and jireservation, and warndy constructed of feathers, wool, 

 vegetable down, hair, and the silky efflorescence of .seeds. 



Tlieir eggs, seven in number, rcscndile tiwise of the X ni imdenMS, but are 

 of smaller si/e and a little more jxiinted at one end. Their gnmnd-color 

 is crystalliiui-white. This is covered more or Ic '• thickly with red spots, most 

 numerous at the larger end. Their measure varies from .()5 by .50 to .(10 by 

 .47 of an inch. The first eggs of this bird brought to the notice of natural- 

 i.sts were procured at Kort Cniiik on the Upper Sacramento of California, and 

 not far from Mount Shasta, liy Sergeant .Tohn Feilner, I'. S. A., forming part 

 of a very extensive collection of birds and eggs transmitted by him to the 

 Smithsonian Institution. Promoted to a lieutenancy for gallant conduct, 

 this gentleman finally attained the rank of cajitain of cavalry, and was killed 

 by the Sioux during an exploring expedition into Dacotah under General 

 Sully. 



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