424 NUTHATCH. 
drawn from their nest without quitting it, but will 
continue to lay, one egg being taken daily from 
them. 
In some years this bird does not visit certain 
trees in gardens, and if these be examined, they will 
be found free of insects, a clear proof of the nature 
of the food generally consumed by this species. 
Nuthatch.—That amusing bird the Nuthatch is 
far from scarce in the district, but save at such 
times as it is busily occupied in the consumption 
of the little scarabs so abundant at the chief season 
of necessity to our smaller winter birds under the 
bark of apple trees, it is but rarely under the imme- 
diate inspection of naturalists, but is rather known 
to us by its peculiar utterances, emitted from situa- 
tions not easily discerned. Its trilling or rattling 
note delivered whilst it ascends the bole of some 
tall elm, and often as early in the year as the begin- 
ning of March, is by far the most remarkable from 
loudness, clearness of delivery, and even penetrating 
effect. ‘This note is not taken up in real earnest till 
April, for cold intervening weather of the former 
month keeps it to its winter intonations. The Nut- 
hatch during spring is very constant to one locality, 
and day by day a certain spot may be visited with 
the surety of finding the bird somewhere near. 
Tall trees are his greatest delight ; pursuing his 
avocation along the bare boughs of the oak, ash, 
beech, or elm, he repeatedly calls the notice of 
passers-by to his importunate notes, so remarkably 
disproportioned in their loudness to the bulk of the 
creature they proceed from. Nidification, &c. being 
completed, the Nuthatch takes up a somewhat 
similar rattling modulation at the end of July, or 
beginning of August, when first entering orchards. 
His visit there being ended, he becomes through 
the winter a woodland bird, haunting the tops of 
trees, flying hurriedly from one site to another, and 
