72 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH INLAND BIRDS 
condition, only in the valley of the Spey. The 
individuals which have been rarely met with in 
different localities in England are more probably 
wanderers from the Continent than from Scotland. 
The bird breeds in many European countries, and 
is not there confined to pine-woods. Its colour 
is mainly brown above and dull white beneath, 
but the conspicuous crest is black and grey, while 
there are noticeable black, grey, and white rings 
and patches round the neck and throat. The nest 
is built in a hole or fissure in a dead or living fir, 
sometimes in a post, and the materials are chiefly 
moss, hair, and wool. The eggs are from five to 
eight in number, and both in size and colour 
very closely resemble those of the last three 
species. 
NUTHATCH. 
(^Sitta europaa,^ 
Nut-jobber. — This interesting climbing bird is 
frequent and well-distributed in most parts of 
southern and midland England, and haunts woods, 
orchards, gardens, and all such places as are well 
provided with good-sized trees. Stout and strong 
in build, with a large head and a short tail, it is 
bluish-slate colour above and warm yellowish-bufF 
