i86 NUTHATCH. ClafsIL 



and belly of a dull orange color ; the quil-feathers 

 dusky ; the wings underneath are marked with two 

 fpots, one white at the root of the exterior quils ; the 

 other black at the joint of the baftard wing ; the tail 

 confifts of twelve feathers ; the two middle are grey ; 

 the two exterior feathers tipt with grey, then fucceeds 

 a tranfverfe white fpot y beneath that the reft is black 5 

 the legs are of a pale yellow v the back toe very 

 ftrong, and the claws large. 



This bird runs up and down the bodies of trees, 

 like the woodpecker tribe ; and feeds not only on in- 

 fects, but nut kernels ; it is a pretty fight, fays Mr. 

 Willoughb)\ to fee her fetch a nut out of her hoard, 

 place it fafl: in a chink, and then (landing above it 

 with its head downwards, flriking it with all its force, 

 breaks the fhell, and catches up the kernel : it breeds 

 in the hollows of trees ; if the entrance to its neft be 

 too large, it flops up part of it with clay, leaving 

 only room enough for admiiTion : in autumn it be- 

 gins to make a chattering noife, being filenc for the 

 greateft part of the year. Dooior Plott tells us, that 

 this bird, by putting its bill into a crack in the 

 bough of a tree, can make fuch a violent found as if 

 it v/as rending afunder, fo that the noife may be beard 

 at left twelve fcore yard^ 



Genus 



