34 
SITTA PUSILLA. 
the wing and tail, glaucous. Axillaries and under wing coverts, pale bluish. Feathers at the base of the primaries 
and on the bend of the wing, white. Tibia, dusky. 
Young, similar, but with a deeper washing of buff beneath. The top of the head and the stripe through the eye 
are paler. The white of the tail does not extend over as many feathers, becoming obsolete on the central ones. 
Sexes, alike. Irides, brown. Bill, dark brown, bluish at the base of the upper and lower marfdible. Feet and 
tarsi, brown. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
This species, without doubt, gradually grades into the “ pygmcea ” of the West. Specimens from that section 
have a darker head, where the feathers lack the whitish tips. In fact the entire colors are darker. The white on the 
tail is more extended, and the bases of the central feathers have a black edging. In this latter particular it differs 
from those taken further East; but I have a specimen in my collection from Florida, which has a decided indication 
of a black edging at the base of the central feathers, and think that with a large number of skins, from all sections, 
I could find a complete series in coloration between the two extremes. This species has a distribution throughout 
the more southern sections of the United States, but I did not find it on the Florida Keys. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurement of twenty-five specimens from Florida.—Length, 4-24; stretch, 7*71; wing, 2-45; tail, 
1-29; bill, - 55; tarsus, - 59. Longest specimen 5T5; greatest extent of wings, 8-05; longest wing, 2-75; tail 1-50; bill, 
•60: tarsus, -64. Shortest specimen, 4-00; smallest extent of wings, 7*30; shortest wing, 2-30; tail, 1T5; bill, *47; 
tarsus -45. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, in Florida, built in holes of trees and composed of the soft fibrous substance which grows about the base 
of the leaves of the Saw Palmetto. They are shallow and about two inches in diameter. 
j Eggs, oval in form, white in color, spotted and dotted irregularly with reddish-brown, but more thickly on the 
larger end. Dimensions, from -60x-45 to ‘62x'48. 
HABITS. 
The pine barrens of Florida are immense woodland plains, which are sometimes rolling, but 
generally level. The trees grow at rather wide intervals, and the spaces between them are 
usually covered with a sparse growth of dwarf Palmce. The effect of the early light upon 
this landscape is fine. The sun shines brightly on the straight, brown trunks of the pines, 
which rise on all sides, and glances from the shining leaves of the Saw Palmetto, as they are 
waved by the morning breeze. Fantastic shadows are cast upon the ground by the huge 
fire-blackened stubs which stretch their gigantic arms high overhead. Light, fleecy clouds move 
steadily across the blue sky, impelled by the rising wind, which sighs through the masses of 
dark green foliage, with a sound which reminds one of the roaring of the sea. Indeed, while 
wandering in these trackless wilds, with the trees apparently crowding together in the distance 
so as to shut out any very extended view, one seems as much alone as if upon the broad ocean. 
Many beautiful flowers are blooming in confusion around, yet they are seldom looked upon by 
any human being, and here where there is not a single trace of the hand of man, one thoroughly 
realizes that he is in a perfect wilderness which for ages has remained unchanged. The same 
pines which we now look upon stood where they stand to-day long before the Indians chased 
the deer upon these wide-spread pasture grounds, and it is extremely probable that centuries 
will come and go before the slightest change will have taken place. 
Many bird notes greet the ear in this sunny woodland, but none are more in keeping with 
the prevailing loneliness than the somewhat harsh and solemnly given each cadi each of the 
Brown-headed Nuthatch. There is something mysterious about this sound, for although it comes 
to the ear loudly and clearly, the tiny author of it is so high up among the tops of the tallest 
trees as to be invisible to the casual observer. They are lively little birds and have all the 
characteristic movements of their race, running along the under side of the limbs, or down the 
trunk head first, seeming to spend more than half of their time upside down. They are ever 
busy, never remaining long on one tree, but will flit quickly from place to place with a rapid 
undulating flight. They appear to lead a roving life and move about in small flocks in company 
