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THE RED-BELLIED NUTHATCH. 
SlTTA canadensis, Linn. 
PLATE COXLYIII.— Male and Pemale. 
While the Brown-headed Nuthatch perambulates the southern districts, 
the Red-bellied species spends its time in the eastern and northern States, 
the two dividing the country, as it were, nearly equally between them. The 
southern limits of this little bird seldom extend farther than Maryland. It 
is more plentiful in Pennsylvania, particularly in the mountainous parts 
of that State, and becomes still more abundant as you proceed towards 
Maine and Nova Scotia, where the greater number spend even the coldest 
winters. Yet I saw none in Newfoundland, and only one in Labrador, 
which had probably been blown thither by a gale. 
I found it building its nest near Eastport in Maine, on the 19th of May, 
before the Blue-bird had made its appearance there, and while much ice still 
remained on the northern exposures. The nest is dug in a low dead stump, 
seldom more than four feet from the ground, both the male and the female 
working by turns, until they have got to the depth of about fourteen inches. 
The eggs, four in number, are small, and of a white colour, tinged with a 
deep blush, and sprinkled with reddish dots. They raise, I believe, only 
one brood in the season. 
The activity and industry of this little creature are admirable. With the 
quickness of thought it moves up and down the branches of trees, assuming 
various positions, examining every hole or cranny in the bark, frequently 
rapping against it with its bill, and detaching now and then small fragments, 
in order to get at the insects or larvae concealed beneath. It searches for its 
food among the leaves of the tallest pines, along the fences, and on the fallen 
logs, ever busy, petulant, and noisy, probably never resting except during 
the night, when, like other species of the tribe, it attaches itself by the feet 
to the bark, and sleeps head downwards. Like other birds of this genus, 
also, it is careless of man, although it never suffers him to form too close an 
acquaintance. During the breeding season, they move in pairs, and manifest 
a strong mutual attachment. Their almost incessant kink, hink, hink-hink , 
is heard at every hop they take, but less loudly sounded than the notes of 
