64 NUTHATCH. 



the nest, she hisses like a snake; and is so attached to her eggs, that 

 she will sooner suffer herself to be taken, than fly away. During 

 the time of incubation, the male supplies his mate with sustenance. 

 The general food consists of cater pi liars, beetles, and other insects, also 

 nuts. Willughby observes, that it is a pretty spectacle to see her fetch 

 a nut out of her hoard, when placing it fast in a chink, she stands 

 above it, with the head downwards, and striking it with all her force, 

 breaks the shell, and catches up the kernel. 



The noise occasioned by the Woodpeckers rapping the hollow 

 trees with the bill, has been by some attributed to the Nuthatch, but 

 the attempt to force open the nut with the bill may be heard at some 

 distance, though a different kind of noise from the other. 



In the spring the male has a strong kind of whistle, not unlike 

 that of a man ; at short intervals, perched on the top of a tall tree. 

 In autumn this bird not unfrequently visits orchards and gardens, at 

 which time it has a note not unlike Tuit-tuit-tuit, Tuit quickly re- 

 peated. The Nuthatch runs both up and down trees with equal 

 facility, different from the Woodpecker, who rarely, if ever descends, 

 except sometimes obliquely. It is supposed not to sleep on a twig 

 like other birds, for it has been observed, that when kept in a cage, 

 notwithstanding it would perch now and then, yet at night it crept 

 into some hole or corner to sleep in ; and it is remarkable, that when 

 at rest, it has the head downwards for the most part, and not elevated 

 like other birds. 



It is known by the various names of Nut-jobber, Woodcracker, 

 Twit, Nutcracker, Blue Woodpecker, Loggerhead, and Jarbird. 



This species is rather scarce in France, though it extends pretty 

 far north on the Continent, being met with in the forests of Russia, 

 Siberia, and Kamtschatka, as well as Sweden and Norway. It in- 

 habits India, and supposed by some to be found also in America • 

 but we rather suspect it to be the next, or Black-headed Species, 

 which is distinct. 



