INSECT-DESTROYING BIRDS. 155 



CHAPTER LXIX. 



THE BROWN TREE CREEPER. 



( Climacteris scandens, Temm. ) 



The Tree Creepers, both Victorian species, are among 

 the best of our insectivorous birds, as, although small in 

 size, they are always at the work, and may be seen creep- 

 ing, or rather hopping, up the trees in search of insects, 

 which are their sole food. Mr. North says — " This bird 

 is to be found breeding freely throughout New South 

 Wales, Victoria, and South Australia ; constructing a 

 nest of grasses, fur, &c., usually in the hole of some 

 decayed branch or spout of a Eucalyptus, and occasionally 

 out of arm's reach. The eggs, two in number for a sitting, 

 are of a reddish-white ground colour, closely freckled all 

 over with rich reddish markings towards the larger end, 

 where in some instances they form a zone. The breeding 

 season commences in August, and lasts till the end of 

 December. Gould, in his Handbook to the Birds of 

 Australia., says — " The Brown Tree Creeper inhabits the 

 whole of the south-eastern portion of the Australian 

 continent from South Australia to New South Wales. 

 It gives a decided preference to the open thinly- 

 timbered forests of Eucalypti, the bark of which, being 

 mostly rough and uneven, affords numerous retreats for 

 various tribes of insects. Its food, however, is not only 

 sought for upon the boles and branches of the trees, but 

 is obtained by penetrating the decayed and hollow parts, 

 and it even dives into the small hollow spouts of the 

 branches in search of spiders, ants, and other insects. 

 Although its form would lead to a contrary supposition, 

 it spends much of its time on the ground, under the 



