20 



CASSELL'S BOOK OF BIRDS. 



a hole in a tree. Tlie various species, as far as we have ascertained, have nothing striking or peculiar 

 in their cr)'. 



THE HAIRY-CHEEKED STAIR-BEAK. 



The Hairv-cheeked Stair-beak {Xenops gaiibarbis), an inhabitant of the Brazilian forests, is 

 olive-brown on the upper parts of the body, greyish brown beneath, and white on the breast ; a 

 yellowish white line passes over the eyes, and there is a white patch behind the ear ; the wings are 

 striped with two shades of brown ; the centre tail-feathers are reddish brown, the rest become deeper 

 in shade towards the exterior ; the outermost are almost black, spotted with rust-red. The length of 

 this species is about four inches ; the wing measures two inches, and the tail one inch and a half 



THE HAIRY-CHEEKED STAIR-BEAK [Xcnops gcnibarhis). 



Numerous specimens of these birds were captured by Burmeister in the vicinity of Neufreiburg, 

 where they came even into his garden, and ran gaily along the branches like Tree Creepers. 



The NUTHATCHES {Sittd) are recognisable by their very compact body, moderate beak and 

 tail, long wings, and powerful feet. The strong, hard beak is straight above, but bulges outwards 

 below, and is very sharply pointed at its extremity ; the nostrils are round, situated beneath the brow, 

 and covered with short hairs. The tarsi are short and the toes long, the inner and centre toes being 

 only slightly connected, while the exterior and centre toes are united as far as the first joint; the 

 large pointed nails are much hooked ; the broad, blunt wing, in which the third and fourth quills 

 exceed the rest in length, is soft and flexible ; the short, broad tail is formed of twelve weak feathers, so 

 pliable in texture as to render that member quite useless for climbing. The sexes are almost alike in 

 colour, the plumage of both being usually of a blueish grey above and brownish red beneath ; the young 



