EUROPEAN NUTHATCH. Ill 



will force this little bird from its habitation when 

 sitting: it defends its nest to the last extremity, 

 strikes the invader with its bill and wings, and 

 makes a hissing noise; and after every effort of 

 defence, will suffer itself to be taken in hand rather 

 than quit." 



"The Nuthatch is more expert in climbing than 

 the Woodpecker, for it runs in all directions up 

 and down a tree; whereas the other is never ob- 

 served to descend; the stiff tail of those birds sup- 

 port them in the act of climbing and hacking. 

 The flexible tail of the Nuthatch gives it no such 

 advantage, nor does it seem to want it; for its 

 most favourite position, when breaking a nut, is 

 with the head downwards. In autumn it is no 

 uncommon thing to find in the crevices of the 

 bark of an old tree a great many broken nut-shells, 

 the work of this bird, who repeatedly returns to 

 the same spot for this purpose. When it has fixed 

 the nut firm in a chink, it turns on all sides, iu 

 order to strike it with most advantage. This, with 

 the common hazel-nut is a work of some labour ; 

 but it strikes a filbert with ease. In defect of 

 such food, insects and their larvae are sought after, 

 among^st the moss on trees and old thatched build- 

 ings. It is commonly met with about orchards, 

 and is sometimes seen in the cyder season picking 

 the seeds from the refuse of the pressed apples. 

 The note is various; in the spring it has a remark- 

 able loud shrill whistle, which ceases after incuba- 

 tion; in the autumn is a double reiterated cry." 



