1NSESS0RES.
SCANSORES.
CERfHIADM.
T H E N U TH A TCH .
Sina^Eiiropcea, European Ntitjiatch, P enn. Bfpr>Z8br.W<d,*i?, p. 336r
The
Cornmon „
Sitelle Torchepot,
Bewick, E r if. B i r d s , iI46.
F eem. Brit. An. p . 8,1»
_P®lby, Brit. Oraith, söf, i. p. 385.
J enyns, Brit. Yert. p, 154,
Birds of Europe, pt. xii.
T emm. Man. (FQrmth,. vol. i, p. 407.
Generic Characters.—Beak straight,Vfieally cylindrical, wider than high .at
thebase* subulate, pointed. Tongue, short, pointed, horny. --.Nostrils basal,
rounded, partly hidden hy hair ajjd/sboit feathers, Feet with three toes before,
and one behind; the outer toe joined at its base to the middle to'ev Wings
-rather short-; the first feather veryjshort, the fourth or fifth feather the longest.
Tail short, flexible, -square at the end.
T he well-known Nuthatch was considered till lately the
only'example of its genussin Europe; but another species
having "been recently discovered, which is an inhabitant of
Dalmatia and -Stiria, has somewhat impaired the value of the
old specific name»,. The Nuthatch, the last; of our group of
the true climbing birds, is - aii interesting species, and a great
|avourite-.With many observers; it inhabits woods, plantations,
and parks; particularly such as. contain old daks, and other
large forest^frees.!-; I t here all the, year, approaching
orchards and gardens7 ;in .winter; but. is not equally numerous
in every district; This birds, by means-of its powerful
claws,7f@r its tail-feather-s are not calculated to afford it
any,«support, is able to climb with a short quick step dyer the-
-jough bark- of trees, and apparently, “with equal ease in any
direction; our Woodpeckers ar.e.. occasion ally seen to hop;
when' climbing,4but. the Nuthatch creeps or runs along so
smoothly that its^m&tions more resemble those of a mouse
than ihofMdfi a bird-.
The names'-'of Nuthatch.and Nutjobber have been given to
,this7'-,bird' from its-habit offffefeding on the kernels of nuts,'
which,! however thick or hard the shells may happen to be,
are. broken with equal ease, an d : dexterity. The nut; or fil-
bert;. sometimes|Vhrought from a distance, is placed in an
angular etSvafiSfe'*in the bark of a tree,.and the bird having
fixed 'it, move&/r,ound it as if to ascertain how best it can
make an impression upon it by repeated blows with the point
of ;.its- strong beak,; aided by the whole Weight of the body,
which is-4 frequently placed abo|$|§the n u t , to give greater
effect to the. blow, and the noise naade is considerable. Be*
sides.-nut^j this bird feqjds on caterpillars, insects, berries, hard
seeds, and beech-nuts- or mast: Bewick mentions that it is
also fond of picking bone3. Old beech trees, from the deep
longitudinal fissures iti the bark, are the favourite resort of
the Nuthatch, as affording both food and the means of enabling