WIIITE-BRE A STED NUTHATCH. 
191 
seems to be resident, oi- nearly so. I found them abundant in Upper 
Canada, and in the northern parts of the state of New York, in the 
month of November ; they also inhabit the whole Atlantic states as far 
as Georgia, and the southern extremity of Florida ; as well as the 
interior parts of the United States, as far west as Chilicothe, in the 
state of Ohio, and, according to BufFon, Louisiana. They are said to 
be the only Woodpeckers found in Jamaica ; though I question Avhether 
this be correct ; and to be extremely fond of the capsicum, or Indian 
pepper.* They are certainly much hardier birds, and capable of sub- 
sisting on coarser, and more various fare, and of sustaining a greater 
degree of cold, than several others of our Woodpeckers. They are 
active and vigorous; and being almost continually in search of insects, 
that injure our forest trees, do not seem to deserve the injurious epithets 
that almost all writers have given them. It is true, they frequently 
perforate the timber in pursuit of these vermin, but this is almost always 
in dead and decaying parts of the tree, wliich are the nests and nurseries 
of millions of destructive insects. Considering matters in this light I 
do not think their services overpaid by all the ears of Indian corn they 
consume ; and would protect them within my own premises as being 
more useful than injurious. 
Genus XXV. SITTA. NUTHATCH. 
Species I. S. CAROLINENSIS. 
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 
[Plate II. Fig. 3.] 
SMa Carolinensis, Briss. in., p. 596. — Catesb. r., 22, fig. 2. — Lath, i., 650, B. — 
Sitta Evropca, Gray black-capped Nvthaich, Bartram, p. 289. 
The bill of this bird is black, the upper mandible straight, the lower 
one rounded upwards, towards the point, and white near the base ; the 
nostrils are covered with long curving black hairs ; the tongue is of a 
horny substance, and ending in several sharp points ; the general color 
above is of a light blue or lead ; the tail consists of twelve feathers, 
the two middle ones lead color, the next three are black, tipped with 
white for one-tenth, one-fourth, and half of an inch ; the two next are 
also black, tipped half an inch or more with white, which runs nearly 
an inch up their exterior edges, and both have the white at the tips 
touched with black ; the legs are of a purple or dirty flesh color ; the 
* Sloane. 
