SOME NEIGHBORLY ACROBATS 39 



that fades to brown. TaU feathers brownish black, with 

 white bars. Sides of head and underneath white, 

 shading to pale reddish under the tail. (Female's head 

 leaden.) Body flat and compact. Bill longer than 

 head. 



Range — ^British provinces to Mexico. Eastern United 

 States. 



Migrations — October. April. Common resident. Most 

 prominent in winter. 

 {See plate, page 34..) 



When it comes to acrobatic performances in the trees, 

 neither the chickadee nor the titmouse can rival their rela- 

 tives, the little bluish gray nuthatches. Indeed, any circus 

 might be glad to secure their expert services. Hanging 

 fearlessly from the topmost branches of the tallest pine, 

 running along the under side of horizontal limbs as com- 

 fortably as along the top of them, or descending the trunk 

 head foremost, these wonderful Kttle gymnasts keep their 

 nerves as cool as the thermometer in January. From the 

 way they travel over any part of the tree they wish, from 

 top and tip to the bottom of it, no wonder they are some- 

 times called tree mice. Only the fly that walks across the 

 ceiling, however, can compete with them in clinging to the 

 under side of boughs. 



Why don't they fall off? If ever you have a chance, ex- 

 amine their claws. These, you will see, are very much 

 curved and have sharp little hooks that catch in any crack 

 or rough place in the bark and easily support the bird's 

 weight. As a general rule the chickadee keeps to the end 

 of the twigs and the smaller branches; the tufted titmouse 

 rids the larger boughs of insects, eggs, and worms hidden in 



