26 Birds Every Child Should Know 
end of the twigs and the smaller branches ; the 
tufted titmouse rids the larger boughs of in- 
sects, eggs, and worms hidden in the scaly bark ; 
but the nuthatches can climb to more inac- 
cessible places. With the help of the hooks 
on their toes it does not matter to them whether 
they run upward, downward, or sidewise ; and 
they can stretch their bodies away from their 
feet at some very queer angles. Their long bills 
penetrate into deep holes in the thick bark of 
the tree trunks and older limbs and bring forth 
from their hiding places insects that would 
escape almost every other bird except the 
brown creeper and the woodpecker. Of course, 
when you see any feathered acrobat performing 
in the trees, you know he is working hard to 
pick up a dinner, not exercising merely for fun. 
The most familiar nuthatch, in the eastern 
United States, is the one with the white breast ; 
but in the Northern States and Canada there is 
another common winter neighbour, a smaller 
compactly feathered, bluish gray gymnast with 
a pale rusty breast, a conspicuous black line 
running apparently through his eye from the 
base of his bill to the nape of his neck, and heavy 
white eyebrows. This is the hardy little red- 
breasted nuthatch. His voice is pitched rather 
high and his drawling notes seem to come from 
a lazy bird instead of one of the most vigorous 
and spry little creatures in the wood. The 
