2 The Irish Naturalist, January, 



almost 300 yards) shows that almost all of them bear one 

 or more of these sleeping-holes (in one case eight) at heights 

 varying from 4 to 12 feet above the ground level, and it 

 may be that others would be found at higher elevations. 

 There does not appear to be any uniformity in the location 

 of these holes in respect to outlook, as they are to be found 

 facing every point of the compass. Some of the holes 

 examined appear of old standing and not to have been 

 recently used, but others are evidently quite fresh and 

 their occupation is marked by a few breast feathers adhering 

 to the bark round the edges, and by the deposition of 

 faeces immediately beneath each hole. The latter can be 

 clearly seen in the photograph [Plate L] . As will be observed, 

 the surface of the bark is very uneven — deep furrows 

 separating the longitudinal ridges — so that in these trees 

 the thickness of the bark varies from about i| to 4 inches, 

 and in spots probably even more. The bark thickness 

 in Californian trees is said to be from one to two feet. 

 The halfpenny (one inch diameter) indicates the size of 

 the sleeping-hole, beside which it was placed for this purpose. 



There are also growing here two tiees of Sequoia 

 sempervirens, but in these, though the bark is of similar 

 texture, none of the sleeping-holes could be found. 

 Perhaps this may be accounted for by reason of their 

 trunks being branch-clothed down to the ground, whereas, 

 as a rule, there are no branches on 5. gigantea lower than 

 about 8 feet. 



The Tree-Creeper, though nowhere numerous, is a 

 common species throughout Ireland where trees occur, 

 and doubtless the twenty Hillsborough trees afford sufficient 

 sleeping accommodation for the birds resident in the district. 

 But the question suggests itself : — in districts where there 

 are no Sequoias — and I presume these trees are only to 

 be found sparingly in this country — where do the Tree- 

 Creepers spend their nights ? 



Hillsborougli, Co. Down. 



