BROWN CREEPER 61 



ward, made ideal nesting sites for the creepers. This was the condi- 

 tion in 1906 and 1907, and the creepers were quick to take advantage 

 of it." 



A similar condition prevailed in eastern Massachusetts about 1913, 

 following an invasion of gypsy moths. 



In addition to such fortuitous nesting sites as those mentioned above, 

 there are other stations far to the south of the creeper's normal breed- 

 ing range where the bird finds surroundings adapted to its nesting re- 

 quirements. For example, Kennard and McKechnie (1905) found 

 several nests in inundated white cedar swamps near the town of Canton, 

 Massachusetts, and Dr. Arthur P. Chadbourne (1905) found a nest 

 containing young in a similar swamp in Plymouth County, Mass. 

 He remarks : "The conditions which determine the distribution of the 

 Creeper in this region, are apparently a very moist, humid atmosphere, 

 dense evergreen growth, through which the sun penetrates with diffi- 

 culty, and considerable extent of wild woodland which is not dis- 

 turbed by man throughout the nesting season." 



Arthur Loveridge (MS.) found two deserted nests, each holding 

 three eggs, behind the shutters of a cabin on an island in the Belgrade 

 Lakes, Maine. 



Eggs. — [Author's note : The brown creeper lays four to eight eggs 

 to a set, most commonly five or six. They are usually ovate in shape, 

 with variations toward short-ovate, or more often toward elliptical- 

 ovate. The ground color is generally pure white but sometimes 

 creamy white. They are usually more or less sparingly marked with 

 small spots, fine dots, or mere pin points; the larger spots are often 

 concentrated in a ring about the larger end, in which case the rest 

 of the egg has only a few fine markings; some eggs are nearly im- 

 maculate. Shades of reddish brown predominate in the markings, 

 such as "hazel" or other bright browns, but darker browns, such as 

 "Kaiser brown" or "liver brown," are not rare. I have seen one un- 

 usual set that was heavily marked with these darker browns in large 

 blotches three-sixteeftth of an inch long. 



The measurements of 40 eggs in the United States National Museum 

 average 15.1 by 11.8 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes 

 measure 15.8 by 12.2, 15.5 by 12.7, and 13.7 by 10.7 millimeters.] 



Young. — The nestling creeper has not far to go to reach his native 

 bark, and in 13 or 14 days after hatching he is ready to undertake the 

 short journey. The following note tells of a brood that I (1914) 

 watched on their first day after leaving the nest : 



The young birds left the Concord nest early on June 4 (possibly June 3). 

 At 8 a. m., two were clinging, 30 feet from the ground, to the trunk of a living 

 white pine tree which stood not far from the nest. One or two more were on 

 another pine trunli. The little birds were extremely difficult to find by reason 

 of their small size, their distance from the ground, their inconspicuous color and 



