WHITE-BREASTED, BLACK-CAPPED NUTHATCH. 
37 
black liairs ; the tongue is of a horny substance^ and ending 
in several sharp points ; the general colour above is of a light 
blue or lead; the tail consists of twelve feathers, the two 
middle ones lead colour, the next three are black, tipt with 
white for one-tenth, one-fourth, and half of an inch ; the two 
next are also black, tipt half an inch or more with white, which 
runs nearly an inch up their exterior edges, and both have 
the white at the tips touched with black ; the legs are of a 
purple or dirty flesh colour ; the hind claw is much the largest ; 
from the refuse of the pressed apples. In a state of confinement, they will 
thrive well upon raw meat, or fat, and if taken at a proper age, become 
extremely familiar and amusing ; if not, they will most likely destroy themselves 
in their endeavours to get free from confinement, as mentioned by the anony- 
mous writer of an interesting account of this bird in Loudon’s Magazine of 
Natural History. I had lately an opportunity of observing a nest of our native 
species, which had been taken young. They became remarkably tame ; and, 
when released from their cage, would run over their owner in all directions, up 
or down his body and limbs, poking their bills into seams or holes, as if in search 
of food upon some old and rent tree, and uttering, during the time, a low and 
plaintive cry. When running up or down, they rest upon the back part of the 
whole tarsus, and make great use as a support, of what maybe called the real heel, 
and never use the tail. Their bills are comparatively strong, and the power 
they possess of using them great, equal apparently to that of a woodpecker of 
like size. They breed in hollow trees, and produce a rather numerous brood. 
The male attends) carefully diming the time. According to Montagu, our 
British species chooses the deserted habitation of some woodpecker. “ The 
hole is first contracted by a plaster of clay, leaving only sufficient room for 
itself to pass out and in ; the nest is made of dead leaves, chiefly those of the 
oak, which are heaped together without much order. If the barrier of plaster 
at the entrance is destroyed when they have eggs, it is speedily replaced, — a 
peculiar instinct to prevent their nest being destroyed by the woodpecker, and 
other birds of superior size, which build in the same manner.” Or, as Mr 
Rennie, in his late edition of the same work, thinks probable, the wall 
may be to prevent the unfledged young from tumbling out of the nest, when 
they begin to stir about. It is probable that the nuthatch does not look 
forward to any of these considerations ; and although the effects above men- 
tioned may be in reality the consequence, I should conceive the hole contracted 
as being really too large, and as increasing the heat and apparent comfort within. 
When roosting, they sleep with the head and back downwards, in the manner 
of several titmice. — Ed. 
