THE NIDOLOGIST 
The Red-=breasted Nuthatch. 
NE of the typical birds of our wood- 
land avifauna is the sprightly little 
Red-breasted or Canada Nuthatch, 
common from early spring till late in the 
fall. Closely resembling the larger White- 
breasted Nuthatch in habits, it is less noisy 
and more likely to be overlooked, though 
outnumbering the White-breasting more 
than three to one. Its notes are quite simi- 
lar, having the same peculiar twang, but 
are not so loud, though, I think it posesses 
a greater vocabulary. It has one loud ratt- 
ling call that can be heard some distance, 
as it is frequently repeated from a perch on 
the topmost twig of an evergreen tree, which 
is one of its favorite feeding grounds. 
In early spring it is usually in company 
with Titmice, Kinglets and Brown Creepers, 
roaming about through the woods in small 
flocks. It isless hardy than the Chicadee 
and I think seldom or never remains Pinongh 
our long, cold winter. 
My experience has been more in the nest- 
ing season, when [ have had little difficulty 
in finding its nests. A rather low, swampy 
piece of woods is generally chosen, and its 
favorite nesting site is in some very shaky 
fir stub, from eight to twenty-five feet up. 
A very small hole is made for an entrance, 
not much more than an inch across, and a 
cavity about six inches deep is excavated. 
Frequently the wood is so soft and rotten 
about the entrance that it can be broken 
away with the fingers, and is never so hard 
but that it is easily removed with a jack- 
knife. 
One exception to this class was a nest 
about forty feet up in a large maple where 
a branch of four inches in diameter had 
been broken squarely off; straight down in 
the heart of this branch the cavity was dug 
through wood which was nearly as dry 
and hard as stone. 
The nests themselves are quite scanty 
affairs, consisting merely of a few shreds of 
what looks like the inner bark of the fir, 
mixed with feathers, evidently from the 
breast of the parent bird. ‘The nests differ 
so radically from the nests of the Chickadee 
that it is impossible to confound them, al- 
though the eggs bear a very close resemb- 
lance. About the entrance to the nest is 
always a coating of pitch, sometimes only 
a few drops and at other times quite a 
quantity being used. 
When in the woods in the early nesting 
season if I hear a Nuthatch I approach as 
t13 
near as possible and sit down and watck, 
keeping an eye on the most favorable stubs 
in sight. If you cau see both birds the 
nest is not far distant and usually fifteen 
minutes patient waiting will locate it. 
When both birds get together in the same 
tree and begin to converse in low tones, 
almost in whispers, a visit to the nest is 
in contemplation and if you have not taken 
up your position too near the nest the 
chances are that you will soon be re- 
warded. After a little experience one can 
tell by the uneasy actions of the birds if 
he is too near, and a change of base may 
become necessary in order to locate the 
nest. 
When a complete set has ben laid and 
incubation has begun it is much more 
difficult to find the nest. Full sets are 
found about the 2oth of May and six or 
seven eggs is the usual number, although 
I have taken as many as eight in a set. 
When incubation has begun the birds 
are very bold and fearless. ‘The last set 
that I took was somewhat incubated and 
during my ascent the female started sev- 
eral times to re-enter the nest, and when 
I was robbing the nest of its contents she 
darted by my face repeatedly within a 
few inches and expostulated in her loud- 
est voice, though the male did not appear 
F. B. SPAULDING. 
Lancaster, N. H. 
SNS ee 
Bird Notes From Montgomery Co., Pa. 
HE BOB-WHITE ( Coknus virginianus) 
is a resident in some portions of Penn- 
sylvania, and formerly it was common 
in this vicinity, but now it iscomparatively 
rare; last reason, however, especially during 
September and October, there have been 
quite a number of them observed. As 
seems to be characteristic of tbese birds 
they have usually been seen in small flocks 
consisting of from four or five-birds toa 
dozen or more, frequenting our fields and 
meadows. 
The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) isa 
resident of some sections of this state dur- 
ing all seasons of the year,but is, of conrse, 
more abundant during the summer season. 
In many portions of the state it breeds, in 
recent years its nests have been found in 
Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, and York 
counties. In the two latter counties and 
along the Susquehanna river it is said to 
breed annually in small communities. In 
