North American Birds Eggs. 319 



727a. Slender-billed Nuthatch. S. c. aculeata. 



Range.— North America, west of the Rockies and from Mexico to British Co- 

 lumbia. 



This species is as abundant in the west as the last is in the east, and nests in 

 like situations. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the eastern 

 birds. 

 727b. Florida White-breasted Nuthatch. .S'. r. atkiiisi. 



Range. — Florida and the South Atlantic coast to South Carolina. 



The habits and eggs of these birds are like those of the northern ones. 



727c. Rocky Mountain Nuthatch. .S'. c. nelsoni. 

 Range.— Rocky -Mountains from Mexico north to British Columbia. 

 Their nesting habits or eggs are not distinctive in any respect. 



727d. St. Lucas Nuthatch. .S'. r. Inguiur'. 

 Range. Mountain ranges of Lower California. 

 Said to be like aculeata but with the wings and tail slightly shorter. 



728. Red-breasted Nuthatch. Sitta canaflemis. 



Range. — North America, breeding from the northern tier of states northward, 



and farther south in mountain ranges; winters south to southern United States. 



~-.^ This species is smaller than the last and has reddish brown 



' '; ' "■•.■, underparts and a black stripe through the eye. The breeding 



i^''~.-. .' /■'■) habits are the same as those of the \\'hite-bellied variety, but 



'</-*;■••;. ',*;'i;, these birds almost invariably coat the tree below the opening with 



^•- ■■'■'' pitch, for what purpose is unknown. They lay from four to six 



\\'hite.l white eggs, numerously spotted with reddish brown; size. 60 x. 50. 



Data. — Upton, .Maine, June 21, 181)8. Nest in hole of dead 



birch stub, 20 feet from the ground; made of strips of bark and a few feathers. 



5 eggs. Collector, Col. John E. Thayer. 



729. Brown-headed Nuthatch. Sittu pWiiUa. 

 Range. — South Atlantic and Gulf States. 

 This species has a yellowish brown crown and whitish underparts. 



Their habits are like those of the other Nuthatches, they nesting 



in cavities at varying heights, from two to fifty feet from the 



ground. That they sometimes depart from the usual custom is 



evidenced by the data accompanying this egg. They lay from rw^ite I 



four to seven eggs, white with profuse markings of reddish bnjwn; 



size .60 X .48. Data. — St. Mary's, Ga. Nest situated under the bark of an old 



dead pine stump, i feet from the ground; made of fine strips of bark. Collector, 



Outram Bangs. 



730. Pygmy Nuthatch. Sitia jijjf/iiirfd. 



Range. — North America west of the Rockies, breeding from Mexico north to 

 British Columbia. Resident throughout its range. 



4 ,• . This species has an olive gray crown bordered by dusky, the 



•ff' •. * x' back is ashy blue and the underparts soiled white or rusty. They 



:■'.,- .j are common in mountains of western United States, nesting in 



I..'.' _:'••' ,' holes in trees the same as the other species of Nuthatches. They 



' ■ "'' ■ lay from five to nine eggs which are white, speckled thickly with 



(White. I reddish brown; size .60 x .50. Data.— Huachucha Mts., Arizona, 



May 25, 1001. Nest in cavity (10 inches deep) in dead pine 



stump about 15 feet from the ground; composed of a mass of vegetable down; 



altitude 0000 feet. Collector, O. W. Howard. 



730a. White-naped Nuthatch. .S'. p. leuconurha. 



Range.— Lower California. 



Like the last but grayer above and white l)elow. Its habits and eggs are the 

 same as those of the Pygmy Nuthatch. 



