172 USEFUL BIRDS. 
become a frequenter of orchard and shade trees, and is com- 
monly seen along village streets in fall, winter, spring, and 
sometimes even in midsummer, although comparatively few 
breed in the State. In 
the fall it may be seen 
here and there in the 
woods or orchards, often 
in company with Chick- 
adees and other tree 
gleaners. In winter 
f this species is almost 
Fig. 54.— White-breasted Nuthatch, two-thirds always engaged during 
aeeane daylight in a diligent 
search over the trunks and larger limbs of trees, particularly 
on the rough bark of the larger trunks, where it finds a 
great part of its insect food. In one instance, where a 
workman had pared off most of the outer bark from a large 
oak, two of these Nuthatches were seen busily engaged for 
two days in searching and delving among the pile of bark 
chips left on the ground. 
This Nuthatch is the particular guardian of the deciduous 
trees, preferring the oak, chestnut, elm, and other hard-wood 
trees to the pine. It also frequents old orchards, where the 
rough bark affords concealment for many injurious insects, 
and offers a good foothold. It is a cheerful bird, and often 
manifests much curiosity. It will sometimes come quite 
near any one who attracts its attention, and, hanging head 
downward on trunk or limb, utter its nasal guank, quank, 
—a peculiar, weird sound, somewhat like the quack of a 
duck, but higher keyed and with less volume, having rather 
a musical twang. 
No other native birds are so often seen upside down as are 
the Nuthatches. Audubon and Wilson both say that these 
birds sleep in this position. In winter the White-breast 
passes the night in some cleft or hollow ina tree trunk. 
Dr. G. V. Harvey of California says that one evening he 
saw twenty-nine White-breasted Nuthatches come singly to 
an old, dead, yellow pine, alight upon a knot, and vanish into 
a large crack in the trunk. They came at quite regular in- 
