Brown on Birds observed at Coosada, Alabama. 171 
13. Sitta carolinensis, (Gm.) Lath. White-bellied Nuthatch. 
— Rather uncommon during the winter, and occasionally seen or heard 
up to the time of my departure. They exhibited a preference for the pine 
woods. The peculiar song of the male I first heard about the middle of 
March. 
14. Sitta pusilla, Lath. Brown-headed Nuthatch. — An abun- 
dant resident. In the winter, when they were particularly numerous, they 
associated in bands of from six to twenty individuals, and were found 
everywhere, — in the tops of the tallest forest trees and amongst the 
scattered pine saplings which have sprung up in once cultivated fields. 
They were always full of life and activity, not only destroying their in- 
sect prey with great industry, but frequently chasing each other about in 
pure excess of vitality. I do not think I ever saw one employed in silence 
for a minute at a time. While busily in search of food they have a sub- 
dued, conversational chatter which almost exactly resembles the notes 
usually uttered by the Goldfinch when similarly employed. Rather curi- 
ously, the two species have another call in common : the most frequent 
cry of the Nuthatch is remarkably like the Goldfinch’s meditative beyr- 
beh, — indeed, I have sometimes mistaken one for the other. Both sexes 
of the present bird have several other call-notes, all of which are char- 
acterized by a certain reedy harshness rendering them quite unlike the 
usual utterances of the two Northern species of the genus. 
About the beginning of March the birds began to separate into pairs, and 
by the middle of that month had generally selected their nesting sites and 
commenced the work of excavating. Rotten pine stubs afforded the favor- 
ite situations, and -nine tenths of the nests I found were within six feet 
of the ground. I opened nests at intervals up to the time of my depart- 
ure, and found them occupied by one, sometimes by both of the owners, 
but met with no eggs until April 22 ; these (four in number) were placed 
in a natural cavity in a telegraph-pole. Another nest examined on the 
same day was not quite ready for the eggs. 
15. Certhia familiaris, L. Brown Creeper. — Rather common dur- 
ing the winter, associating with other small birds of similar habits. They 
were most numerous about the third week in March, and at this time 
sometimes went in flocks by themselves, occasionally as many as a dozen 
together. On the advent of warm weather, in April, they gradually dis- 
appeared. 
16. Thryothorus ludoviciairus, (Lath.) Bp. Great Carolina 
Wren. — Common resident, inhabiting only the tangled growth of swamps 
and water-courses. Generally found in small flocks during the winter. 
They were mated by the last of February, but, apparently, were not 
engaged in nest-building until at least a month later. The males sang 
through the winter, but not so frequently as after mating. 
17. Thryothorus bewicki, (Aud.) Bp. Bewick’s Wren. — Only 
two specimens taken : one by myself, February 7, amongst the ddbris of 
