TREE-CREEPER. I23 



found that it destroyed the turnip-flea beetle when this insect is 

 wintering under bark, but numerous spiders and their egg-balls 

 must be placed on the debit side of the account of a useful bird. 

 Seeds of knapweed, Scots fir and other plants have been found 

 in its stomach. Under ordinary circumstances the flight is 

 undulating and leisurely, but during courtship the male rapidly 

 chases the female round and among the trees with excited cries. 

 At this time, and after the eggs are laid, the male is attentive, 

 constantly bringing food to the hen, who receives it, like a 

 young bird, with fluttering wings. 



An ordinary position for the nest is behind loose bark, but it 

 is also built in cracks in trees, behind ivy-trunks on walls, or at 

 the back of a notice board. The size depends upon the avail- 

 able space ; in a large crack a supporting platform of sticks is 

 built ; behind bark the shape is often oval and all available 

 space is filled with grass, bark, moss or wool, with finer strips 

 of bark, wool or feathers for the lining. The eggs, which 

 number from five to even nine, are white spotted with red or 

 reddish purple (Plate 58), at times forming a zone, and are 

 seldom laid until May. A later brood is often reared. Both 

 birds help in construction of the nest and ca*e of the young, 

 which are largely fed upon small caterpillars and flies. The 

 bird sits closely and will hiss and peck at an intruding finger 

 but finally slips out sideways and will remain, clinging to the 

 trunk a few inches from the nest before taking flight. When 

 approaching the nest the bird flies to the trunk and ascends 

 (Plate 51), apparently feeding, then quickly slips sideways out 

 of sight. 



The characters of the Creeper, adapted to its habits, are the 

 curved bill, comparatively large feet, and stiff pointed tail 

 feathers. Above, in both sexes, it is brown, streaked and 

 mottled with rufous and white ; beneath it is silvery white, 

 and as in its often zigzag progress it slips round the trunk, the 

 gleam of the under parts catches the eye. The wings are 



