BLUE-BACKED BIRDS. 127 



jecfcion over the stream, whence it may dive for the 

 fish below. When it is seen thus employed, the 

 great spear-like bill declares the Kingfisher ; but it is 

 more probable that, disturbed by the intruder, the 

 bird will be seen flying low along-stream — a glori- 

 fied Dipper that vanishes at the first bend. 



WOODPECKEKS. -These are the only birds with great 

 bills at all resembling that of the' Kingfisher ; but ■Wood- 

 peckers are woodland and largely trunk-climbing birds, 

 none of them having blue in its colouring. 



NUTHATCH. — Plate 57. 5| inches. Upper 

 parts and central tail-feathers blUe-gray ; remaining 

 tail-feathers black, barred with white ; line through 

 the eye and extending along the neck black ; cheeks 

 and throat white ; under parts buif, deepening into 

 chestnut on the flanks ; bill straight, long, strong, 

 slate-blue ; feet brown. Resident. 



Eggs. — 5—7, white, similar to those of the Great 

 Tit, but more coarsely blotched with reddish-brown ; 

 •77 X -56 inch (plate 126). 



Nest. — A hole in the trunk or in a leading branch of 

 a tree, bedded with dead leaves ; the natural orifice, if 

 too large, being partially stopped with clay. 



Distribution. — South-eastern and central England ; 

 Brecon, Eadnor, and some other parts of Wales ; 

 farther north extremely rare ; unknown in Ireland. 



The Nuthatch is a woodland bird, chiefly of the 

 southern parts of England, being rare in the north, 

 little known in Scotland, and unknown in Ireland. 

 It is a rotund, thickly set, short-tailed bird, capable 



