Bill rather long, or of moderate length, straight, conico-subulate, a little compressed, rather obtuse; upper mandible with the dorsal outline very slightly arched, the ridge rather narrow, the sides sloping, the edges sharp without notches, the tip rather blunt; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length and narrow, the dorsal line ascending and very slightly convex, the sides slightly convex, the tip narrow. Nostrils basal, round operculate, partially concealed by the reversed bristly feathers. Head ovate; neck short; body short. Tarsi rather short, stout, compressed, with eight scutella; toes long, much compressed; first very long, second much shorter than fourth; anterior toes adherent at the base. Claws long, arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Small bristles at the base of the upper mandible. Wings rather long, first quill extremely small, third and fourth longest. Tail short, of twelve feathers broad, nearly even. Upper mandible slightly concave with three ridges; tongue slender, very thin, with the point abrupt and terminated by strong bristles; œsophagus without dilatation; stomach rather large, roundish, moderately muscular; intestine rather short and wide; cœca very small. 247. 1. Sitta Carolinensis, Linn. White-breasted Nuthatch. Plate CLII. Male and Female. Upper part of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, with a broad band of white near the end; sides of the head and lower parts white; lower tail-coverts with the inner webs brownish-red. Young without black on the head. _Male_, 5-1/4, 11. Common from Texas to Maine. Throughout the interior to the Columbia. Resident. White-breasted American Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 10. Sitta carolinensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96. White-breasted American Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 581. White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 299; v. v. p. 473. 248. 2. Sitta Canadensis, Linn. Red-bellied Nuthatch. Plate CV. Male and Female. Upper parts of head and hind neck deep black; back light greyish-blue; quills brownish-black, edged with light greyish-blue; middle tail-feathers of the same colour, the rest black, the outer two with a white band near the end; lower parts yellowish-red. Female with the head paler. _Male_, 4-1/2, 8. From Maryland to Nova Scotia. Common. One seen in Labrador. Columbia River. Resident. Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 40. Sitta canadensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 96. Red-bellied Nuthatch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 583. Red-bellied Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 24; v. v. p. 474. 249. 3. Sitta pusilla, Lath. Brown-headed Nuthatch. Plate CXXV. Male and Female.