204 
SITTA PUSILLA. 
trees. You may traverse many thousand acres of 
hickory, and chestnut woods, during winter, '"'it*'®]',, 
meeting with a single individual ; but no sooner 
you enter among the pines than, if the air he still, 3’®^ 
have only to listen for a few moments, and their 
will direct yon where to find them. They usually . 
in pairs, climbing about in all directions, gencva''- 
accompanied by the former species, as well as 
the titmouse, parus atricapillus, and the crested ‘ 
mouse, parus bicolor, and not nnfrcfiuently by ‘‘1^ 
small spotted woodpecker, picus pubescois ; the 
company proceeding regularly from tree to tree thro"^ 
the woods like a corps of pioneers ; while, in a '’**1 
day, the rattling of their bills, and the rapid motion® 
their bodies, thrown, like so many tumblers and ^ 
dancers, into numberless positions, together with/®, 
peculiar chatter of each, are .altogether very amusi''^j 
conveying the idea of hungry diligence, bustle, 
activity. Both these little birds, from the great 
of destructive insects and larvm they destroy, b®|, 
under the bark and among the tender buds of our fr® f 
and forest trees, are entitled to and truly deserving 
our esteem and protection. 
149. SITTA PUSILLA, LATHAM AND WILSON. 
BBOWN-HKADED NUTHATCH. 
WILSON, PLATE XT. FIG. 11. | 
This bird is chiefly an inhabitant of Virginia and i 
southern States, and seems particularly fond of P'®, 
trees. I have never yet discovered it either in PenosJ 
vania or any of the regions north of this. Its m.ann® ' 
are very similar to those of the red-bellied nuthat®®^ 
but its notes are more shrill and chirping, dn jj, 
countries it inhabits it is a constant resident; 
winter associates with parties, of eight or ten, n .'f 
own species, who hunt busily from tree to tree, keep) J 
up a perpetual screeping. it is a frequent compaD>®j 
of the red-cockaded woodpecker ; and you rarely n 
