CERTHIADJ-L 



123 



SUB-FAMILY IV, 



Certhixjs. 



The Crp.epers. 



Gex. Ch arac— Toes very long and slender, tlie outer toe longer than the inner, 

 united beyond the first joint, and the inner toe as far as the first joint of the 

 middle toe, the hind toe very long and slender; the claws long, much com- 

 pressed, and curved. 



--'^^W'^vU''?^'-' 



^-> 



. ^t.\ 



Fig. 48. — the common creeper. 

 {Certhia famiUaris ) 



Tlie Creepers constitute a group of beautiful 

 small birds, inliabitiug Europe, Asia, and the tem- 

 perate parts of North America. They are met 

 with wherever trees are abundant, where they may 

 be seen creeping upon the trunks, generally com- 

 mencing at the bottom and running upwards in a 

 straight or spiral direction, using their stiff-pointed 

 tail to assist them in the ascent. Sometimes they 



