NUTHATCHES, TITMICE, CREEPERS, AND WRENS. 109 



there will annually be about eight thousand million insects 

 destroyed by chickadees alone. Surely no mean number." 



The closely related Long-tailed Chickadee of the Western 

 States feeds largely upon grasshoppers when the latter are 

 abundant. The Carolina Titmouse of the Southern States 

 appears to have food-habits similar to those of its northern 

 representative, except that through the winter months it 

 doubtless finds a larger percentage of insect food. 



THE creepers. 



The small family of creepers {Certhiidce), of wliicli only 

 about a dozen species are known in the entire world, has ])at 

 one representative in the United States. These birds in 

 outward appearance and habits are suggestive of the wood- 

 peckers. They have rigid tail-feathers and a slender de- 

 curved bill, with toes adapted to running up the sides of 

 trees. 



The Brown Creeper is the common American representa- 

 tive of this family. It is a small bird, very restless and active, 

 which may often be seen by bird-lovers going in spirals up 

 tree trunks, but never hanging head downward like the nut- 

 hatches. It nests behind loose bark on the trunks of trees, 

 and in most of the Northern States may be found through- 

 out the year. Very few precise determinations of its food 

 have been made : three stomachs examined by King contained 

 small beetles and other insects, and Nelson reports that he 

 has seen several of these creepers on the sides of a house 

 searching for spiders. In June, 1895, Aughey saw two parent 

 birds bring to a nest of young twenty-seven locusts in an 

 hour. In Maryland, Judd found that one bird had eaten 

 beetles, sawflies, flying ants, spiders, and seeds of the scrub 

 pine. 



There can be no doubt that this is a very useful little bird, 

 deserving all possible encouragement. 



