THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 20 
NOTES ON BREEDING HABITS OF BROWN- 
HEADED NUTHATCH AT THOMAS- 
VILLE, GEORGIA. 
BY C. J. PENNOCK, KENNETT SQUARE, PA. 
The following data was taken last spring (1889) while in the 
south and is copied from my rough notes under dates as there 
made. 
March 9. This species I find abundant here in the pine woods 
region, almost as plentiful as any other. It is everywhere, and 
generally, excepting when nesting, several individuals are found 
in company. They are quite as industrious as their larger kin, 
the White-bellied Nuthatch, which is also found here, and much 
more active and erratic. There notes are a curious combination ; 
at times closely resembling the jerky effort of a flying Goldfinch, 
but in the case of the Nuthatch produced while at rest, at least 
while on a tree, for it is seldom that one is observed at rest. Again 
it has a plaintive, almost querulous string of notes, or really. a 
song quite pleasing, particularly when three or four are heard in 
company, one following the other, or perhaps lapping over each 
other. This is probably the love song, as I have never heard it 
in the fall or early winter. 
They commence preparations for nesting in this locality early 
in February, at least so I noted this year; however, last season I 
failed to note any nesting up to time of my departure, March 8, 
but I am inclined to think I overlooked them. This year I saw 
first pair digging February 3, but up to present date many pairs 
have not laid. 
I am inclined to think the season has much to do with the time 
of laying; February this year being wet and cold, which seemed 
to delay the work. <A few pairs, however, as indicated later, 
made the best of the early warm days at beginning of the month, 
The locality chosen is usually in an open field near timber, 
occasionally in the woods; the site a dead stump, tree or stub, 
externally with a bark or shell hard enough to be secure, and in- 
ternally decayed and soft enough so that the labor of excavating 
is not difficult after the entrance has been completed. 
