The Canadian Nuthatch. BIRDS. The Brazilian Sabre-isill 319 
pally in appearance in tlie black colour of the head, 
neck, and shoulders, and the white colour of the breast 
and belly. This species runs about upon trees in all 
positions just in the same way as our common Nut- 
hatch, and like it rests and roosts with the head down- 
wards. It also breeds in the holes of trees and fences. 
Its food consists of insects, spiders, &c., but it probably 
also feeds partly, like its European congener, upon nuts. 
THE CANADIAN NUTHATCH {Sitta canadensis) is a 
smaller species than either of the preceding, measuring 
only four inches and a half in length. It is easily dis- 
tinguished by the crown of the head being black, bounded 
bj' a white stripe, below which is a black line passing 
through the eye; the lower surface is rust colour. This 
bird is migratory in its habits, passing the winter in 
the southern states of the American Union, and visiting 
the more northern parts of the continent only in the 
summer for the purpose of breeding. It is more rest- 
less and rapid in its movements than even the preceding 
species, which it resembles in its general habits. 
THE ORANGE-WINGED NUTHATCH {Sittella chryso- 
ptera) is an inhabitant of the south-eastern part of the 
Australian continent. In its habits it closely resembles 
the European Nuthatch. This bird measures about 
four inches and a half in length ; the upper surface is 
grey, with the top of the head dark brown, and a streak 
of brown down each feather of the back ; the wings are 
dark brown, with a large red patch about the middle ; 
the tail is black, with the tips of the outer feathers 
white ; and the whole lower surface is greyish-white, 
with brown spots on the inferior tail-coverts. 
Several nearly allied species occur in various parts of 
Australia, amongst which we need only mention 
THE BLACK-CAPPED NUTHATCH {Sittella pileata), 
which occurs principally in Western Australia, and is 
one of the most active and elegant of the whole. It is 
easily distinguished by its deep black crown, and in the 
female this blackness extends over the whole top of the 
head, whilst in the male the forehead, and the whole of 
the space around the eyes, are white. 
THE SPINE-TAILED OETHONYX {Orthonyx spini- 
caudus), a large species, rather more than eight inches 
in length, has the shafts of the tail feathers prolonged 
beyond the webs, forming, as indicated by the name, a 
set of spines at the apex of the tail. This bird is found 
in the most retired spots in the bushes skirting the 
coast of the south-eastern angle of Australia ; here it is 
seen running over the fallen trunks of trees, mossy 
stones, &c., in search of the insects (principally beetles) 
which constitute its food. The plumage of the upper 
surface is brown, with a black mark on each feather ; 
the rump and upper tail- coverts reddish-brown without 
spots ; the wings are black with greyish transverse bars, 
and the tail is black ; the lower surface is greyish-white, 
with the throat rusty-red in the male, white in the 
female, and bordered on each side with a crescent- 
shaped deep black mark. 
THE CAYENNE TREE CREEPER {Dendrocolaptes 
cayanensis). The place of the true Creepers and Nut- 
hatches is taken in South America by a small group 
of birds of which the genus Dendrocolaptes is the type. 
In their habits these birds resemble the Creepers ; they 
live solitary or in pairs in the woods and forests, creep- 
ing upon the trunks and branches of the trees. They 
are said to prefer dead trees, probably on account of the 
great quantities of insects and their larva; which they 
find in them ; those constitute their principal nourish- 
ment. They nestle in the holes of trees, depositing 
their eggs upon the dust of decayed wood lining the 
bottom of the hollow which they have selected. The 
Cayenne Tree- Creeper, which is one of the best known 
species, inhabits the forests of Guiana and Brazil. 
It has a rather long, slightly curved, and robust 
bill, and a broad rounded tail ; its length is about two 
inches, and its general colour is tawny above, pale 
yellowish beneath, most of the feathers having a whitish 
longitudinal streak. The bill and legs are black. 
THE BRAZILIAN SABRE-BILL {Xipliorhynclms pro- 
curvus). Most of the species of Dendrocolaptes and the 
allied genera have a rather stout and but slightly curved 
bill, but in the present species, and a few nearly related 
to it, the bill is of great length, and so much arched 
that its summit rises as high as the level of the crown of 
the bird’s head. In the present species, which is about 
the size of a blackbird, the bill is nearly two inches 
long ; the general colour of the plumage is a cinnamon- 
brown, passing into reddish-grey upon the head and 
lower surface ; the head and neck are covered with 
white streaks ; and the tail feathers are terminated by 
very short naked points. By the agency of this stiff 
tail, and of its strong feet, the Sabre-bill creeps upon 
the trunks of palm-trees, and supports itself in an upright 
position, while its long and curved bill is engaged in 
probing the curved petioles in search of the larvre of 
certain insects which buiTOW in them. The particular 
palm-trees in which these larvm reside oidy grow upon 
certain mountains, and it is only there that the Sabre- 
bills are to be met with. 
THE SPINE-TAILED SYNALLAXIS {Synallaxis spi- 
nicauda) is an example of another South American 
group of this family. This bird measures about six 
inches in length, and is of a chestnut-brown colour 
above, white beneath ; some spots on the crown of 
the head, the face, and a streak over each eye, are 
yellow. The tail is rather long, and its feathers are 
acutely pointed and terminated by spines ; the four 
middle ones are rusty-red, and the remainder chestnut 
tipped with white. The species is an inhabitant of the 
southern extremity of the American continent. It 
resides amongst bushes, and feeds upon insects. 
THE SHARP-TAILED ANUMBI {Anumhius aculicau- 
datus), which is nearly allied to the preceding species, 
is an inhabitant of tropical America. It is remarkable 
for the large size and curious construction of its nest. 
This is placed upon slender branches, and the mass of 
small spiny twigs heaped upon these is so great that 
they are bent down, and it becomes a wonder how such 
a quantity of materials can be collected and interlaced 
by such small architects. The edifice exhibits several 
external apertures, and contains many separate cham- 
bers, in each of which a small quantity of soft vegetable 
matter is deposited ; thus it requires no small amount 
of trouble to detect the actual nest containing the eggs 
or young. The object of this voluminous habitation is 
said to be to give room for the young birds to move 
about when their strength permits them to take exer- 
