46 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



ter, Penn. They soar to a great height and then sail steadily along — 

 sometimes circling — with wings out-spread and motionless, after the 

 manner of the Turkey Buzzard. 



While not considered a "winter bird," our much loved Blue Bird, 

 makes its appearance so far in advance of the rest of the birds, that we 

 might class it as a connecting link between our "winter birds" and 

 those of the early spring migrations. They are frequently observed 

 while the weather is yet severe and long ere the snow has departed. 

 There are many more birds known to be winter residents throughout 

 the State, but it is the object of this article to only include those with, 

 which we are more closely acquainted. 



THE NUTHATCH FAMILY, 



BIRDS OF THE INVERTED POSITION. 



BY LEANDER S. KEYSER, 



There are a number of climbers in the bird realm, but none are quite 

 so expert as the Nuthatch, which may be regarded as a past master in 

 the art of clambering. The woodpeckers amble up the boles and 

 branches of trees, and when they wish to descend, which they do occa- 

 sionally for a short distance, they hitch down backward. The Brown 

 Creepers ascend their vertical or oblique walls in the same way, but: 

 seldom, if ever, do anything else than clamber upward, never descend- 

 ing head downward after the fashion of the nuthatches. 

 . A little bird that comes very near disputing the palm with the Nut- 

 hatch as a sylvan coaster is the Creeping Warbler, which flits about 

 over the tree-boles in all kinds of attitudes, even with his dainty head 

 pointed toward the earth. No fear in his little striped breast of the 

 blood rushing to his brain. However, even this clever birdlet's dex- 

 terity is not quite equal to that of the Nuthatch, for the latter is able 

 to climb up and down a smoother wall than his little rival. More than 

 that, the Nuthatch glides downward with more ease and aplomb and in 

 a straight line, and does not fling himself from side to side as the 

 Warbler does. Indeed, the Warbler's favorite method of going about 

 is with his head directed toward the sky rather than the reverse, while 

 it really seems that the Nuthatch's predilection is to scuttle about in an 

 inverted position. Does he wish to chisel a grub out of the bark of a 

 tree? He usually stands above the target at which he aims, so that he 

 can deliver his blows with more force, just as the human woodchopper 

 prefers to take his position above and not below the stick or log upon 

 which he expects to operate. There the bird clings to his shaggy wall 

 pounding away with might and main vuitil you fear he will shatter his 



