36 CERTHIA FAMILIARIS. 



Female. — The female is similar to the male, but somewhat 

 less, and having the colours of the upper parts paler. 



Length to end of tail 5^% inches ; extent of wings 7^ ; bill 

 along the ridge 6^ ; wing from flexure 2j% ; tail 2^^ ; tarsus 

 y"! ; hind toe j%, its claw j% ; middle toe j%, its claw j%. 



Variations. — In adult individuals I have not observed any- 

 remarkable variations in colour ; but the bill varies considera- 

 bly in length and curvature, as do the claws, some individuals 

 haviuCT the hind claw a third longer than others. Towards the 

 end of summer, before the moult has commenced, the colours 

 are usually much faded. The tint of the lower parts varies, 

 beinoj often much soiled with matters rubbed from the trees. 



Habits. — On the 4th December 1816, while on an excur- 

 sion in quest of zoological subjects, I happened to stroll into a 

 fir wood, about four miles distant from my residence in the Old 

 Town of Aberdeen, and, being a novice, was quite astonished 

 at seeing a swarm of extremely small birds of dift'erent species, 

 moving about among the twigs, and apparently searching for 

 food with incessant activity. Having succeeded in shooting 

 two of them, I fovmd them to belong to the genus INlotacilla, 

 and the species Regulus ; but being persuaded that I had seen 

 other small birds in the flock, I returned next day, and pro- 

 cured six Reguli, five specimens of Parus ater, a Motacilla 

 Troglodytes, and a Certhia familiaris. Such was the nomen- 

 clature in those days, but now the names of only two of these 

 birds remain as they were. The pleasure which I experienced 

 must have been greater than that which the sight of a flock of 

 these tiny and most interesting creatures could now impart ; 

 but still it affords no slight gratification to watch the motions 

 of these wanderers of the wild woods, so intent on their search 

 for food that they take little heed of the near approach of one 

 who may be bent on thinning their swarms. 



At this season, should you fall in with a flock of Reguli and 

 Pari, scouring a wood, you may be pretty well assured that a 

 few Tree-creepers will be found at no great distance. There, 

 clinging to the rough bark at the base of that. old elm, you see 



