SONG-BIRDS. Nuthatches 



sumed, and I was convinced during that season that it was 

 a food suited to the needs of all our winter-birds, both seed 

 and insect eaters finding in it what they required. 



The Chickadee breaks the silence of many winter days 

 with his jovial notes, and fairly begs for companionship : — 



Chic-chicadeedee ! saucy note 



Out of sound heart and merry throat, 



As if it said, " Good day, good sir 1 



Fine afternoon, old passenger ! 



Happy to meet you in these places, 



Where January brings few faces." — B. W. Emerson. 



FAMILY PARIIXE: NUTHATCHES AND TITMICE. 



Sub-family Sitting : Nuthatches. 

 White-breasted Nuthatch: Sitta carolinensis. 



Plate 11. Fig. 1. 



Length : 6.50-6 inches. 



Male and Female : Body flat and compact. Above slate-blue. Top of 

 head and nape black. Wings slate, edged with brown. Outer 

 tail feathers brownish with white bars. Belly white, rusty 

 toward vent. Bill dark lead-colour, feet dark brown. Female 

 paler with colour boundaries less distinctly marked. 



Song : A call, " Quank-quank-quank 1 " and a few other notes. 



Season : A common resident, roving about all winter. 



Breeds : Freely in all parts of range. 



Nest : In tree holes, which it excavates with great patience, and lines 

 with feathers, moss, etc., after the fashion of Titmice. 



Mggs : Often 10, white, speckled with red and lilac. 



Mange : Southern British Provinces and eastern United States to the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



This Nuthatch, who is our most conspicuous bird-acrobat, 

 persistently walking head downward and performing various 

 tortuous feats while he searches for food, is a resident of 

 the eastern United States, only leaving the most northerly 

 parts of his range for a short time in winter. 



He appears to migrate in spring and return in autumn, 



but in reality only retreats to the woodlands to breed, 



emerging again when the food supply grows scant in the 



autumn. 



73 



