THE RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH. 18& 



"I found it building its nest near Eastport, in Maine, on the 

 19th of May, before the Blue-bird had made its appearance there, 

 and while much ice still remained on the northern exposures. The 

 nest is dug in a low, dead stump, seldom more than four feet from 

 the ground ; both the male and the female working by turns until 

 they have got to the depth of about fourteen inches. The eggs, 

 four in number, are small, and of a white color, tinged with a deep 

 blush, and sprinkled with reddish dots. They raise, I believe, 

 only one brood in the season." 



Although I found a pair on Nantucket in June, 1866, 

 which had young without doubt, the only other occurrence 

 of this bird's breeding in New England that has come to 

 my knowledge was in West Roxbury, Mass., in June, 1866, 

 when a nest was found in an old stump by my young friend, 

 William Minot, jun. The eggs were four in number, and 

 were of the description given above. 



