PERCHING BIRDS. 
out an insect’s egg from the bark. The same type of tail feather is 
shown by Woodpeckers, an excellent illustration of similar structure 
accompanying similar habits in birds not at all closely related. 
The Nuthatches and Titmice, ‘(Family Paridz), like the Wrens and 
Thrashers, belong in two well marked Subfamilies; The Nuthatches, 
(Subfamily Széézx@) number about twenty species, only four of which 
inhabit America; the Titmice, (Subfamily Paviz~) number some seven- 
ty-five species, of which thirteen are American. 
Nuthatches are tree-creepers, but climbing up or down with equal 
ease, their tail is not employed as a prop, and consequently shows no 
special development of pointed or stiffened feathers. Their toes, 
however, are long, and their nails large and BUDE; evidently giving 
them a fad grip on the bark of trees. 
The Chickadees are generally resident birds and, as a rule, whatever 
species we find in a given locality are apt to be there throughout the 
year. We therefore become better acquainted with some of these 
birds than with others which are with us only a short season. This is 
especially true of our eastern Black-capped Chickadee, which comes 
familiarly about our homes in winter to partake of the feast of nuts and 
suet which we spread for him at that season. 
Feeding largely on the eggs or larve of insects particularly injurious 
to trees, the Nuthatches and Titmice are of great value to men, 
The Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, and Old World Warblers, (Family Sy/- 
viide) number about one hundred and twenty-five species, which are 
divided among the following well-defined subfamilies: The Kinglets, 
(Subfamily Reguling) seven species, three of which are American; the 
Gnatcatchers, (Subfamily Polzoptilinz) some fifteen species, all Amer- 
can; the Old World Warblers, (Subfamily Sy/vziz@) about one hundred 
species, all Old World except one which inhabits the Bering Sea coast 
of Alaska. 
The Kinglets are small, olive green birds which may be mistakeu for 
Warblers but, aside from structural differences not evident in the field, 
they may be known by their smaller size, greater tameness, and habit 
of nervously flitting their wings at frequent intervals. One of our 
species, the Ruby-crown, possesses a remarkably loud, clear, and musi- 
cal cong, a surprising performance for so tiny a songster. Kinglets 
build large nests of moss and feathers and lay as many as ten eggs. 
The Gnatcatchers are small, slender, grayish birds which once well 
seen will not be confused with other species. The Gnatcatchers, like 
the Kinglets, are architects of more than usual ability, building a nest 
beautifully covered with lichens. 
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