17; 
4 
heard the name of Neddehakker, which Kjzrbélling quotes, used for this species in Denmark. 
Respecting its range in that country he writes that “it is tolerably common in the old woods 
and parks where hollow trees are numerous; but it used to be more numerous some years 
ago, when the old trees were left alone. It arrives early in the spring, and has often laid its 
entire clutch of eggs by the end of April. It breeds not only in the woods near Copenhagen 
in holes in oak, alder, and birch trees, but even in the gardens of the town where there are 
hollow lime-trees; and there its nest may be seen in holes so neatly closed with mud that the 
bird can only just pass in and out.” The nest itself is there always composed of fallen and dead 
leaves. The male does not cease to bring new materials for lining the nest when the female is 
sitting ; for Mr. Benzon observed at Charlottenlund a male carrying dead leaves to a hole out of 
which, a few days later, incubated eggs were taken ; and he further states that he has seen the 
Common Sparrow do the same. The Nuthatch, he writes, “‘ does not soil the trunk of the tree 
in which its nest is, like the Titmice and the Starling. It is by no means a very shy bird; and on 
the approach of any one it generally only passes round to the other side of the trunk of the tree 
on which it is climbing, and continues its search after insects in the crannies of the bark.” Its 
chief food consists of various species of insects, chiefly those which are so injurious to the fruit- 
and forest-trees; but when insect food is scarce it does not disdain vegetable food; and Mr. 
Benzon informs us that he has often seen it come boldly to the kitchen-door in September and 
pick up melon-seeds. It usually deposits six or seven, or even eight or nine eggs, but only 
rarely the latter number. Nests containing both eight and nine eggs have been found in Zeeland, 
as also in Southern Sweden. Mr. Fischer has a clutch of nine taken at the Dyrehaven, near 
Copenhagen, on the 29th of May; and Mr. Benzon procured one with eight eggs at the same 
place on the 2nd of May, taking the female bird on her eggs. In his collection are also three 
clutches from Ronneby, in Blekinge—one of eight and two of nine eggs—taken in the first week 
in May. The earliest eggs Mr. Benzon has recorded were taken on the 25th of April, and the 
latest on the 15th of May; but it occasionally has eggs as late as June. 
The eggs of this species are similar to those of Sitta cwsia, and vary from almost pure 
unspotted white to white thickly covered with fine spots and larger blotches of a bright red 
colour, which are often collected at the larger end. In size they appear to run rather larger 
than the eggs of the Common Nuthatch, as Mr. Benzon, who possesses a very large series, gives 
the sizes as varying from 20 by 15 to 22 by 16 millimetres; and this is borne out by specimens 
in Dresser’s ,collection, in which, however, there is not a large series. Our friend Dr. E. Rey 
writes to us as follows:—‘I do not consider that this bird differs specifically from Sitta cesia, 
as I cannot detect the slightest difference in the colour, size, or number of their eggs, whilst 
the period of incubation and the construction of the nest are with both alike. I find the average 
size of eight eggs to be 19°3 by 14°6 millimetres, the two largest measuring 20-0 by 14-75 and 
19°75 by 15-0 millimetres, the smallest 18-0 by 14-0 millimetres.” 
The specimens figured and described are in Dresser’s collection; and we give above full 
particulars as to where they were obtained. 
