Coloured illustrations of British birds, Meyer 1847

COLOURED

ILLUSTRATIONS
OF

WxitiW Mitti^
AND THEIR

©ggs*
BY

H. L.

VOL.

MEYER,
IV.

CONTAINING SIXTY PLATES.

LONDON:
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, &
1847.

Co.


LONDON:
Bentlet, Wilson, and Flet.
Bangor House, Shoe Lane.

Printed by S


J.


CONTENTS

THE FOURTH VOLUME.

PLATE

PAGE

Barred Woodpecker

136.

1

Wryneck

137.

7

Nuthatch

138.

14

Tree Creeper

139.

19

Hoopoe
Cuckoo
American Cuckoo

140.

25

141.

31

142.

35

Wood

143.

37

.

Pigeon

Stock Dove

144.

43

Rock Dove
Turtle Dove

145.

49

146.

56

Passenger Pigeon

147.

61

Pheasant

148.

65

149.

71

Cock

of the

Wood

Black Grous

150.

76

Red Grous

151.

81

Ptarmigan

152.

84

Partridge

153.

89

Red

154.

97

155.

100

legged Partridge

Barhary Partridge

.

Virginian Partridge

156.

102

Quail

157.

109

Andalusian Hemipode

158.

112

Great Bustard

159.

114

Bustard

160.

121

Crane

161.

124

Great White Heron

162.

133

Little Egret

163.

137

Heron

164.

140

Little

.


Purple Heron

.

Buff-backed Heron

Squacco Heron

.

Bittern
Little Bittern

.

American Bittern
Night Heron

.

Stork

Black Stork

.

Spoonbill
Ibis

Curlew

.

.

Whimbrel Curlew

.

Spotted Redshank

Redshank
Green Sandpiper

.

PLATE

PAGE

165.

145

166.

149

167.

150

168.

154

169.

170.

161
167

171.

169

172.

173

173.

177

174.

183

175.

187

176.

192

177.

197

178.

203

179.

208

180.

213



;5b.

•

m

~

v?-;'/

.'.-

'^Im


ILLUSTRATIONS
OF

BRITISH

BIRDS.
PICIDM.

INSESSORES.
SCANSORES.

PLATE CXXXVI.
BARRED WOODPECKER.
Picus minor.

The

Barred

Woodpecker

{Linn.)

the smallest of the wood-

is

peckers hitherto found in Britain, and
generally

supposed

but owing to

;

restless

activity of its habits,

by the

foliage of the

sustenance.

its

species

in

;

we

it

is

not

ourselves have

and beech

trees,

small

size,

amongst which

it

Mr. Yarrell

and

uncommon

met with

it

and the

labours

apple-tree.

of this species resemble those

of

gives

The
its

for
this

us

in the vicinity of
in

is

hidden from view

to

Lon-

Surrey amongst elm
at

work on the

habits

and manners

and not unfrequently hard

mossy branches of an

void IV.

not so rare as

Mr. Selby speaks of having met with

Hertfordshire,

understand that

don

trees

its

easily

is

it

is

family previously de-

B


PICIDE.

'Z

scribed; he

very lively and nimble, running up and round

is

the stems of trees, and also on and along the under sides of
the smallest horizontal branches with great ease and celerity.

When

ascending the trunk of a tree he will at times run

down

backwards

head upwards.
the

again,

but he

As an

engineer, for excavating a hole for

always descends with the

purpose of his night's habitation, or for containing a

nest for the reception of the eggs, he

Woodpeckers

of the larger

ance

;

that

is

is

surpassed by none

in ingenuity, skill, or persever-

and although he usually chooses the
to

be found

softest material

operations, yet he will not

for his

monly be discovered making

uncom-

under surface of

his hole on the

a horizontal forked branch of an old oak tree.

Sometimes the Barred Woodpecker may be seen perched

on the branch of a

tree,

like

other

grasping

toes,

and

if

it

with his

so

of his

birds

he

will

family,

be found to

have his legs closely drawn Up to his body, probably

Among

the purpose of balancing himself steadily.
species,

he

and jealous,

unsociable

as

is

and

for

own

his

selfish,

as

regards his food and worldly possessions as the foregoing,

and

this

seen

in

and

accounts for the circumstance of his never being-

company,

during

except

after that period with its

rives

for

creepers,

them

to

be

about

sent

the

breeding

their

business.

seen to follow in

the

wake of

this

woodpecker,

the latter takes no notice whatever of them.

may be
nor

of

not at

is

all

although

As

the bird

shy or fearful of mankind, he

readily approached sufficiently near for observation,

does he

fly

away

for short distances.

woodpecker
in the air

again

Tree

and golden-crested wrens are frequently

titmice,

now spoken

season,

offspring until the time ar-

by

in

for

His

some time, but continues to hop

flight

undulating

resembles that of the spotted

progress,

by drawing the wings

lowering his position

close to the body,

and

rising

flapping the wings in quick succession while they


BARRED WOODPECKER.

The-call note of the Barred

are extended at full length.

Woodpecker

an often-repeated, rather

is

drawn keek, keek, keek, keek
having flown some

wing

;

This

!

distance,

little

and long

shrill,

he utters after

call

but rarely when on the

and during the pairing season he

some

tree frequently repeating his call,

ening

its

sits

on the top of

and gradually short-

expression during the continuance of each strain.

In the spring of the year the male of
brates a branch of

and

g

for the

some

tree in the

same purpose

to its smaller size

he

this species also vi-

manner before described,
but owing

as the foregoing species,

is

obliged to beat a branch of less

magnitude, and consequently the sound produced

The

loud.

restless

very apparent while the bird
whilst

driving

a continual outcry

The

summer

during which times
food of the Barred

or winter, but

In pursuit of

ants or their larvae.

trunks

kept up.

is

or while fighting

or rival,

consists entirely of insects, as nothing

in its stomach either in

the

not so

in pursuit of his partner, or

is

away an intruder

for his right to a chosen hole in a tree,

Woodpecker

is

and jealous habits of the species become

he climbs up

this food,

and amongst the branches of

found

is

spiders, beetles,

trees, preferring

those of lesser size, owing to the bark of these being easier
to remove.

Plum and

insects of this bird, to
visitor.

The

scent of

apple trees contain

which he

is

many

favourite

consequently a frequent

this bird nearly approaches to that

of musk.

The Barred Woodpecker
some

tree, either

builds

its

nest

in

a

hole

an old habitation, or one made by

it

in
for

the occasion, at an elevation of from ten to sixty feet from
the ground.

by a
in

The

carpenter,

hole

is

as

perfectly

round

as

if

made

and not more than an inch and three quarters

diameter and

six

inches

in

depth.

These birds

fre-

quently begin several holes and leave them unfinished, and

sometimes even complete more than the one they occupy,

b2


i

picid.e.

The

probably the better to escape observation.
or six in

number, are deposited

and shavings

they are of the most delicate texture, of a pure

;

white, with the yolk shining plainly through.
days' sitting, the parents are gladdened

by

After fourteen

the appearance of

young brood.

their

This Woodpecker

an inhabitant of most parts of the

is

middle and north of Europe, but rarely seen

and

eggs, five

the hole on a few splinters

in

Wooded

Holland.

very rare in

is

in

the south,

countries are

his

from necessity, not caring, however, what species of

choice,

Like other woodpeckers, he

trees constitutes them.

found

is

parts of the before-named localities, but usually only

in all

seen alone, and

The

is

consequently considered uncommon.

more frequently some

in length, or

he measures, from the

The

inches.

Woodpecker

of the Barred

size

tail

woodpecker, but of course

six inches

and

width

in

one wing to the other, twelve

tip of

constructed

is

about

is

lines less,

like that

of the

smaller, in proportion

is

spotted
to the

size of the bird.

The wings

hinder parts
short,

are rather pointed in

the

;

first

the fourth and

and second
fifth

but broad at the

front,
quills

the longest

in

in

the wings are

the wings

;

the

secondaries are very broad and rounded abruptly.

The beak

weaker than that of the great spotted

small,

is

the upper surface, and

woodpecker, sharply ridged on
angular,

straight

two

in length,

lines

lead coloured,

The

coloured.

and chisel-pointed, measures seven
and a half high, and three

black at the tip

The

iris

long

The

chin

is

also

of the young bird

blood red.

lines broad

;

of the beak flesh

inside

nostrils are oval shaped, placed in a groove,

and covered with strong brown
are black.

;

tri-

lines

The tongue

horny-pointed

tip,

is

bristles,

the tips

of which

covered with similar

bristles.

chestnut, and in the adult bird

of this

species

is

furnished with

a

armed with barbs, and supplied


;;

BARRED WOODPECKER.
with a glutinous substance, and

beyond the

ten lines

The

tip of the

its

O

when extended,

length,

beak.

and apparently weak

legs of this species are small,

the tarsi are feathered two-thirds of their length

and the remaining part

front,

are

neath

claws

the

;

is

on the upper

scaled

also

neither

are

coarsely scaled

the

the

toes

;

and warty

surface,
large,

down

under-

nor

strong,

sharp

the legs and claws are lead coloured, with the tips of the

claws black, and the

soles

The

of the feet yellow.

adult

male has the forehead, regions of the eyes and mouth, brownish
yellow

from the forehead

;

to the

back of the head there

is

a beautiful space of carmine red, palish towards the forehead,

and darker towards the nape
which

black,

black

triangular patch

neck

edged with

are

forming

backwards,

continued

is

the

in

the sides

;

with

the

a

downwards,

point

The back
and the rump

and thus running into the black on the back.
itself

barred

white,

is

and

tail

the

eyes

with

across

black,

A

coverts are also black.

white streak runs over

and along the temples, extending

over

all

the

sides of the neck.

From

the

corner

of

mouth

the

commences

dark

a

mustachio, scaled alternately with black and white, becoming

black

all

as

proceeds, and ending in

it

a

triangular

black spot below the ears, the lower angle of which loses

dusky

itself in

bird

white,

are

tail-coverts

black

spotted

of the

All the under parts of

streaks.

tinged

The wings

ings.

the

are

shaft

are

with

wood brown, and

with

heart-shaped

black,

head and

although

entirely black,

on the
streaks

tip

;

and

under

mark-

more dusky than

quills

The middle

form

five

or six

tail-feathers are

the next and the third have white markings

the fourth
tip

the

dusky

and the square white

back,

markings on the outer webs of the
white bars across the wings.

this

is

only black on the roots, with black

on a white ground

;

the fifth pair are all white


6

PIC1D.E.

with

five

black bars, and the small outer feathers are black

with one white spot near the tips
are

dull black

;

the under parts of the

tail

The wings below

are

and yellowish white.

greyish black with white bars

;

and the under wing-coverts

silky white, with a few oval-shaped greyish black spots,

one deep black spot under the finger

wants the carmine coloured patch, the black

and

less

The

The

quill.
is

and

female

more rusty

deep, and the white less pure.

egg

Woodpecker.

figured

No.

136

is

that of

the

Barred




;

WRYNECK.

INSESSORES.
SCANSORES.

PICIDJE.

PLATE CXXXVII.
WRYNECK.
Yunx
The Wryneck

;

and

in bodily construction, manners, habits,

This bird

respects.

and Africa

{Linn.)

forms the link between the woodpeckers

and the tree-creepers

and other

torquilla.

found

is

in

Europe, Asia,

Europe has been met with

in

in Greece,

Italy, Spain,

Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and even

in Lapland,

but being migratory,

known European

only
in

is

only an

species,

and

it

This

the

females.

It

has

many

is

the

usually visits Britain

the spring, remaining with us until August,

been observed that the males always

of

inhabitant

summer months.

the colder climes during the

and

it

has

arrive a few days before

provincial

names

in

England,

such as the Snake Bird, (from the markings on the head and
back,

and

the curious habit

its

head and neck,

by

it

or

when disturbed

Cuckoo's

it

as well as

has of twisting and turning

from the loud hissing made

and the Cuckoo's Mate,

in its retreat,)

Messenger,

in

consequence

being the forerunner of the cuckoo,
the

latter

is

never heard before

it

the

its

generally

being affirmed

Wryneck,

Wryneck seldom more than a day or two
The locality chosen by the Wryneck is
interspersed with

of

nor

that

the

before the cuckoo.

a

meadows and hedge-rows,

woody country,

or

underwood


PIC1DE.

8
an open

or

groups of
of willows

dry
in

country containing

irregular

and unconnected

such as orchards or plantations, particularly

trees,

and he prefers low moist lands before high and

;

so that in

localities,

and about the

mountainous

He

valleys.

districts

he

only seen

is

seemingly also prefers trees

may be

of a middle size to those that are more lofty, and
frequently seen perched on the lower branches,

on the uppermost boughs of a tree

;

and

but rarely

as his food princi-

pally consists of ants, which he takes from the ground, he
is

most usually found

in low bushes or hedge-rows,

The

the surface of the ground.

neck in some hole of a

is

as his

beak

is

on

Wry-

passed by the

which purpose old pollard

most readily furnish him with a lodging

trees

him

night

tree, for

or

particularly

;

not formed with sufficient strength to enable

to excavate a cavity for himself,

and he

is

therefore

com-

pelled to resort to the deserted hole of a woodpecker, or any

chance hole that

The Wryneck

may
is

present itself to supply his wants.

quarrels with his neighbours,

two male birds

by them
which

in a

who never

a very harmless and quiet bird,

and even the dispute between

for the possession of a

few chasing

flights,

female

and a

is

earned on

calling

little

out,

up while the

latter portion of the contest is followed

disputants are perched at a short distance from each other on
separate branches in apparent passion, with the

the head and throat

little

or

only

fly

no

fear of

much

distended and raised

man, and

if

to a short distance.

on a branch he always

sits

feathers of
;

they show

surprised while on the ground,

When

the

Wryneck

perches

transversely thereon, neither does

he run up the trunk, or along the horizontal branches of a
tree in the

manner of the woodpeckers, but always progresses

in a half-sideling posture,

feathers

;

stem of a

as if careful not to ruffle his tail-

and when he fastens himself upright against the
tree,

he never moves

Perched on a branch

onwards in

that

position.

his posture is rather upright,

but on

•


WRYNECK.

9

the ground he hops about with his knees very

much

bent,

and with long leaps, generally keeping among long grass or
weeds in pursuit of

At

his food.

times the bird

about

now

first

a great length, and then moving
or turning

it

body slowly and
or

remarkable

that

this

it

amusing

been observed to do

feat,

at the

same time making

of mature

call note, cue, cue, cue, cue, is frequently

the sounds

well as

the call of the

hobby

duced a young brood

is

of

expression

that

rarely seen long

bush.

Its

much resembling

but when the Wrynecks have pro-

this call ceases,

may be

word

the

age

heard in the spring,

good, good, good,
;

short sentences, which

in

very

is

habit of travelling only

its

short distances from tree to tree, or from bush to

as

it

young birds have never

as the

together on the wing, owing to

and

;

The Wryneck

so.

the while bowing

its tail, all

and

only the birds

is

head and neck

raising the feathers of the

croaking noise like a frog

a gurgling

perform

gracefully,

its

extending the head to

slowly from side to side,

it

and

entirely round,

head and neck, and fanning with
its

moves

before us

manner,

in a very curious

and they only converse

exemplified by an abrupt

more

shick,

or

less

frequently

repeated according to circumstances, but in such a low and
hoarse

tone,

that

it

lost

is

amongst the harmony of the

numerous summer warblers whose songs are then so prevalent.

When
the

the

year,

he

Wryneck
is

calls

observed

to

mate

his

exposed dead branch, or some projecting
tree

;

and

the spring

leafless

of

some

shoot of a

as soon as he has obtained a partner he only con-

tinues his call

in

it

billed birds, there

there are trees, and

The

altogether.

the reproduction of the species
to the

and shortly afterwards by

the morning,

degrees discontinues

and owing

in

perched either on

be

is

no

more

chosen

for

invariably a hole in a tree,

number of such
is

place

made by

stronger

difficulty in finding a nest

wherever

holes

especially as the

Wryneck

is

by no

10

PICID.E.

means

particular in his choice, as

whether the hole

ground

is

or whether

;

provided

it is

that

nest,

their

or

where

is

from the

fifty, feet

deep or shallow, wide or narrow,

only sufficiently capacious for the purpose

so indifferent are the
for

it

matter not

appears to

it

four or five, or forty or

Wrynecks

they frequently place

by may

passers

;

and

in the selection of a situation

by

it

roadsides,

bird sitting

readily discover the

on her eggs.

When
of

it

these birds have chosen a hole, they take possession

by cleaning

it

out,

and

if

wood

the

is

they leave a few fresh splinters as a lining

they are

satisfied

seven to

from decay,

soft

but

if otherwise,

pure white polished

with depositing their

(usually from

eggs

;

number)

ten in

the bare

in

cavity without any lining, and after fourteen days the
birds

make

The young remain

their appearance.

young

in the nest

they are fully fledged, and from the circumstance of

until

the parent birds never cleaning the nest, the stench therein

becomes very

great,

much

indeed so

by any person with

these birds might readily be found

eyes shut.
it

is

The Wrynecks

the female, either whilst

on her eggs, or even after the young are hatched

The young

and fledged.
with ants

1

birds

quently

part

constitute

Wryneck

are

by

fed

their

of other insects

eggs, or the larvee

former should become scarce,

adult

their

are so fond of their young, that

a very easy matter to take

sitting

the nest of

that

so,

;

and

parents
if

the

small green caterpillars fre-

of their

food.

The

food

and

consists chiefly also of ants

of the

their larvae,

but towards autumn they will occasionally feed on elder berries
in small

ants

is

quantities

;

by means of

and the manner

in

which they take the

their long tongue, the

tip of

which

is

provided with a glutinous substance, to which the ants adhere,

and are thus drawn into the
are taken

up by one

at

bird's

mouth

;

the ants' eggs

a time, after having

by the sharp horny point of the bird's tongue.

been speared

The Wry-


WRYNECK.

11

neck chiefly takes the ants from the ground, or from amongst
but they do not run

a mass at the foot or stem of a tree,

up the

tree

manner of the

of food after the

pursuit

in

woodpeckers.

When

Wryneck

caged, the

with germ an paste

;

will live

on

ants' eggs

mixed

but as few persons possess suitable con-

veniences for keeping these birds in confinement,

it

confined,

and

as their song will not repay the care

if

so

and trouble

more

required in attending upon them, they are

only

is

proper to observe that they will only live a short time

useful in

their natural unconfined state.

The Wryneck measures from
half inches in length
in

base,

and two

sides.

The
more

and

and a

breadth at the

lines

in

little

compressed at the

raw amber, with the

is

and

yellow

inclining to

seven

to

small only measuring six

being a

lines thick,

colour of the beak

are bean-shaped,

seven

is

and a half

length, three

lines

side

the beak

;

The

clearer.

in-

nostrils

are placed close together in a soft skin

near the root of the beak, the corners of which

latter,

as

well as the chin, being furnished with a few thin black bristles.

The

iris

is

a bright yellowish

is

like that of the

brown

in the adult bird,

The tongue

greyish in the young ones.

of the

woodpecker, terminating

in a very elastic

tube down the throat, and tapering to a horny point

ward

;

respect

but the

from

tip is

the

without barbs, and thus

woodpeckers.

The

and

Wryneck

differs in

parts

softer

for-

that

of the

tongue are covered with a glutinous slimy substance, which
serves
to

the

enable

bird

it

to

instead
secure

measures three inches, and
as

the swallow.

The

is

before-mentioned barbs,

the

of

its

prey

;

in

length

the

tongue

of an orange colour, the same

legs are rather stout,

and they have

two toes before, and two behind, the outer of which are
longer than those of the woodpecker.
of feathers from

the knee,

The

and are covered

tarsi

in

are bare

front

with


;

12

P1CID.E.

scales

large

surface,

the

and the soles of the

claws

and

the toes have

;

arc

terminate

sure nine lines

smaller scales on

in

very

in

length

sharp
;

at

The

points.

the outer front

toe,

including

the

claw

two

of

measures six lines and a half;

tarsi

mea-

one

inch,

the inner

;

and

lines

length

in

;

sides,

a

half,

the outer hinder toe

including the claw of three lines

lines,

the

toe

including the claw, which measures three lines
front

and warty

feet are rather flat,

grooved beneath, compressed

upper

their

ten

and the

;

inner hinder toe five lines, including the claw of two lines.

The

colour of the legs and toes

The

of the claws dusky.

is

raw umber, and

feathers of the

nape are loose, and somewhat elongated,
larks, so that the bird can erect

The

general

colouring

them

of the

that

head about the
those of the

like

to form a sort of crest.

Wryneck

a graduated

is

mixture of brown and grey, with waved crossings or trans-

markings of pure black, and the disposition of these

verse

colours

as

is

follows.

The

of the head

top

is

grey, with

very fine waved lines of black towards the tip of each of the
feathers

the nape

;

is

the same, but less distinctly

marked

from the back of the neck commences a row of black spots,

which

reaches

down

the back,

where

lower part of the back, as far as the

marked with black

finely

lines

and

it

is

tail,

broadest
is

;

the

ash-coloured,

dots, with black shafts to

the feathers, some of which are ornamented with arrow-shaped

markings

;

about the shoulders the grey

is

strongly intermix-

ed with brown, and covered with black arrow-head shaped
spots,

which are bordered with pale yellowish brown

the feathers which lap over the wings

of these

black spots, which

is

is

;

and on

a row of the largest

continued down the greater

wing-coverts and tertials, and ends in a line with the dusky
tips

of the greater quill-feathers on each side of the back

when the wings

are closed.

The

wings are entirely brown

with black markings, as represented in the plate.

From

the

;

WRYNECK.
eyes

down

also

marked

whitish

the

;

under

with

neck extends a brown band,

waved

black

lines,

which runs a

over

band commencing from the beak and running over

The

eye.

white

to the sides of the

13

cheeks and throat are yellow

the breast and

belly are

;

the

chin

yellowish white, and

tail-coverts are pale rusty yellow, the

is

the

tail-feathers are

pale ash-coloured, transversely barred with five black bands,

which are shaded with brown above and with white below
but two of these bars are hidden by the upper

The male and

female

Wrynecks

are

so

tail-coverts.

much

alike,

that

unless a pair of these birds can be procured to compare to-

gether they can scarcely

female

is

be properly distinguished.

The

somewhat smaller than the male, and her colours

are less bright.

Wryneck.

The egg

figured

No

137

is

that of the

.

CERTHIAD.E.

14

CERTHIA DM

WSESSORES.
SCAN SORES.

PLATE CXXXVIII.
NUTHATCH.
SlTTA EUROP^EA.

The

Nuthatch of our
and

in Europe,

is

isles

(Ll?in.)

the only species

is

met with from Norway

ranean, and also in the northern parts of Asia, and

summer months, but
the

most

Here he remains during the

trees.

he quits the neighbourhood of

in winter

woods, and, driven

is

the central districts of Europe,

plentifully distributed over

wherever there are forest

known

to the Mediter-

by hunger from an unproductive

locality, is generally to

be found in orchards and gardens at

that season of the year.

It should appear also, that neither

the severity of winter nor the great heat of southern climes

seem

to agree with the Nuthatch, as

perate climate.

The Nuthatch

is

he prefers a more tem-

not sociably inclined, his

He

only society being that of his mate or his young brood.
is

never seen in the company of his species, and more than

two of them are rarely found

in

a tree.

During winter, and

at the time of migration, these birds are to

company of
birds

it

hatches.
separate,
in his

is

titmice of

all

be met with

very unusual to see more than two or three

As

in

descriptions, but in a flock of those

Nut-

soon as the pairing time returns these birds

and each proceeds to

his given task of

own way and manner, and

two are to be found

in

any

spot.

at that period

The

love-making

no more than

continual and pecu-


-



NUTHATCH.
liar call

it

in all possible

The

during the day time

or

some old and

tree

restless activity of

apparent business

lies in

at
in-

is

traversing a

is

and proves the

directions,

busy-body.

tree, "where

and

sounds like quit, quit, quit, quit,

cessantly and loudly repeated while he

this

known

of the Nuthatch readily makes his presence

times,

all

15

of the

Nuthatch,

beech

lofty oak or

he may be seen running rapidly about, either up

down the trunk

or branches, even to the very top

;

and

at

night he takes up his abode in some hole, or in the hollow crown
of an old pollard
unless

The
he

is

dition

but he

;

is

not often seen on the ground,

under some old favourite tree in search of food.

it is

general appearance of the

Nuthatch

is

very neat, as

very careful to keep his feathers clean and in good con;

and when he

is

either perched, or busied in his

usual occupation, he holds his head and back straight out
in

a line with his beak, his legs are then necessarily

much

bent at the knees, and his feet drawn up close to his body.

The Nuthatch surpasses all other birds in running up and
down the stems of trees, and he never balances himself by
the aid of his
ruffling

it,

tail

and

as the

is

woodpeckers do, but carefully avoids

therefore obliged to rely entirely

upon the

The

support derived from his long feet and sharp claws.
present species

is

not shy, and

may

frequently be observed

very closely in the spring of the year sitting on a branch of a
tree calling to its mate.

alternate contraction
in

undulating lines whenever the bird

in his flight

and owing

Its flight is quick,

and extension of the wings,

from tree to tree only

to the

carried on

to a distance, but

flies

it is

is

performed in straight

lines with flapping wings.

The Nuthatch may be

easily tamed, as

take food without reluctance, and in a cage
wire he

is

invariably

very amusing, but

damage

it

by

his

if

the cage

is

he

made
of

generally

will

entirely of

wood he

incessant hammering.

introduced into an aviary he soon shows that he

is

will

When
likely

to.