NUTHATCH. 67 



Inhabits Hudson's Bay, called there Nemiscu-apethay-shish ; 

 the first word signifies thunder, and the bird so named, as it is sup- 

 posed to be most noisy before the approach of it. We have every 

 reason to think it a distinct Species, and not a Variety of the Black- 

 headed, as has been conjectured. 



4— LEAST NUTHATCH. 



Sitta pusilla, Ind. Orn. i. 263. 



— — Carolinensis minor, Bris. iii. 598. Id. 8vo. i. 477. Klein, 87. 15 ? 



La petite Sittelle a tete bleue, Buf. v. 474. 



Brown-headed Nuthatch, Amer. Orn. ii. pi. 15. f. 2. 



Loggerhead, Sloan. Jam. t. 259. f. 2. 



Small Nuthatch, Cat. Car. i. t. 22. Arct. Zool. ii. 172. Shaiv's Zool. viii. 113. 



Least Nuthatch, Gen. Syn. ii. 651. C. Id. Sup. 118. 



LENGTH three inches and a half, rarely four. Bill bluish 

 black ; under mandible pale at the base ; top of the head and sides, 

 taking in the eyes, of a mouse-colour, in some specimens inclining 

 to rufous ; which last passes on each side a little way in a broad 

 band; the upper parts of the body pale bluish ash-colour, the two 

 exteiior tail feathers black half way from the base, then a broad bar 

 of white, and from that to the end mouse-colour ; the third black, 

 with the end mouse-colour, and no white bar ; the fourth and fifth 

 wholly black ; the two middle like the back ; at the hind part of the 

 neck, between the nape and back, a large patch of white ; cheeks 

 nearly white ; all the under parts from the chin to vent reddish 

 white ; legs pale. 



The female is like the male, but the colours less bright ; and the 

 top of the head has a mixture of grey with the mouse-colour. 



Young birds are a very trifle smaller ; the general colour above 

 pale slaty-blue ; on the hindhead a large white patch ; through the 



K2 



