in front and one, well developed, in the rear. In this
respect they differ again from the woodpeckers, which have either two
fore and two hind toes, or two in front and only one behind. This will
appear all the more remarkable when it is remembered that the _Picidae_
do not descend head downward at all, while the _Sittinae_ are the
head-downward goers par excellence. Yet they have only one rear toe to
support them in their inverted position. You would naturally suppose
that if any bird had need of two hind toes, it would be the nuthatch;
but the result proves that, after all, Nature had her wits about her
when she evolved this avian family.

The world over, there are twenty distinct species of nuthatches known
to scientific observers, but only four of them are natives of America.
Of course, there are a number of subspecies or varieties. All of them
are incessant climbers and foragers, peering into crannies, pounding
here and there to make the grubs stir in their hiding places, jabbing
and prying with their beaks, and chiseling out all kinds of larvae,
grubs, and borers that would, if permitted to live and multiply, soon
devastate the timber and fruit trees and make this world a desert
indeed. True, the other feathered clamberers and carpenters are fully
as useful, but depend upon it, the nuthatches do their share in
preserving our forests and orchards.

The white-breasted nuthatch is our most common species east of the
great plains, breeding from the Gulf States to the northern border of
the United States and to New Brunswick. One peculiarity about him is
that he breeds throughout his range, and therefore may be found as both
a summer and winter resident in all suitable localities within these
boundaries. In the winter, no matter how old Boreas may bluster, he is
one of the most cheerful denizens of the woods in our central
latitudes, calling his nasal "yank, yank, yank," and sometimes
indulging in a loud, half-merry outburst that goes echoing through the
woodlands. No sound of the sylvan solitudes has a more woodsy flavor
or is more suggestive of vernal cheer and good will. Sometimes he
chatters to his human visitors in the most cordial tones as he glides
up and down his arboreal promenade, or holds himself almost straight
out.

A hole in a stump or tree makes Madame Nuthatch a cosy nursery, which
she lines with feathers and leaves, making it soft and snug for her
downy brood. Here they are safe from mos