BROWN CREEPER 59 



With respect to their general plan of construction, all of the eight nests which 

 I have examined were essentially similar. Indeed, the uniform character of the 

 nesting-sites chosen by the different pairs of birds was not a little remarkable. 

 Thus, in every single instance that came under my observation, the nest was 

 placed on a balsam fir, though spruce, birch, or elm stubs were often much 

 more numerous, and frequently presented equally good accommodations. Again, 

 in no instance did the tree resorted to retain more than three or four pieces of 

 bark, while oftentimes the scale that sheltered the nest was the only one that 

 remained. The height varied from 5 to 15 feet, but this particular was perhaps 

 sometimes determined more by necessity than by any individual preference, as 

 I noticed that when several equally suitable bark-scales occurred on the same 

 tree, the lowest was invariably the one taken. In one such case the nest was 

 so low that I could easily look into it by standing up in my boat. As before indi- 

 cated, the size and shape of the different structures varied with that of the 

 cavities in which they were placed. When the space between the bark and trunk 

 was very narrow, the foundation of sticks was entirely dispensed with, the nest 

 being then entirely composed of bark. Of the five examples now before me, only 

 two are feather-lined, the remaining three being simply finished with shreds of 

 the reddish inner fir-bark of a somewhat finer quality than those which make up 

 the outer part of the structure. The most striking feature of all is the pro- 

 longation of the upper corners, already described. In one extreme specimen 

 these horns rise four inches above the central cup that contains the eggs. They 

 are, perhaps, designed to act as stays or supports, as they are firmly attached 

 to the rough inner surface of the bark which sustains the nest. 



The experience of Dr. Brewer and Mr. Brewster proved satisfac- 

 torily that creepers build their nests behind bits of loosened bark, yet 

 there remained a good record by Professor Aughey, who in 1865 had 

 found a nest in a knothole. Brewster (loc. cit.) investigated this 

 record and explains it in this way : 



Were it not for Professor Aughey's testimony we might fairly be inclined to 

 suspect that all our earlier accounts of this Creeper's nesting were either founded 

 upon hearsay or were purely fictitious. But we have this gentleman's satis- 

 factory assurance that in Nebraska the Creeper does sometimes nest in holes in 

 trees. Being desirous of obtaining further particulars regarding the nest men- 

 tioned by him in his paper on "The Nature of the Food of the Birds of Nebraska," 

 and referred to by Dr. Brewer in the April Bulletin, I wrote to Professor Aughey 

 on the subject, and the following is an extract from his very courteous reply : 

 "In reference to Certhia familiarls, it is certain that in Nebraska, where its 

 favorite position for nesting under scales of loose bark is in some localities dif- 

 ficult to obtain, it makes a nest in knot-holes. I have found two other nests 

 in such places, — one in June 1877, between Bellevue and Omaha, on the Missouri 

 Bluffs, in a box-elder tree ; another in June of the present season on Middle Creek, 

 4 miles from Lincoln, also in a box-elder. I have also found several in the 

 ordinary positions where old cottonwoods or elms abounded. It is therefore 

 my conviction that this method of nesting in knot-holes was inaugurated be- 

 cause of the scarcity of the ordinary positions. I could not find any tree near 

 by where a nesting-place under bark could have been obtained in these instances 

 of nesting in knot-holes." 



' The records of Macoun and Macoun (1900) may perhaps be ac- 

 counted for in the same way. They say: "Have taken several nests 

 at Ottawa, always in deserted woodpecker's holes." 



