144 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



BROWN TREE CREEPER, 



Climacteris scan dens, Tenim. 



Kli-mak-ter'is skan'dens. 

 Klimakter, from klimax, ladder; scandere, to climb. 



Climacteris scandens, Gould, "Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iv., 



pi. 93. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 7. 



Key to the Species. — General appearance brown, with light streaks 

 along the breast ; central pair of tail feathers brown ; orbital region 

 brown ; fawn-coloured band across wing ; tail square, soft, and 

 shorter than M'ing ; bill slender, long and curved. 



Australia has seven species of Tree-creepers, of which 

 five are to be found in the southern portion. In the western 

 State there is a Rufous species ; in Central Australia the 

 White-browed and the Red-browed, both of which enter the 

 Mallee country; in the south-east the Brown and White- 

 throated, the last keeping more to the moist forest lands of 

 this part. 



The Brown Tree-creeper presents a more bulky appearance 

 than its congener, the White-throated, a character which 

 alone is sufficient to distinguish the species when found 

 associated in the same area, bordering the open country on 

 one side and the heavily timbered on the other. 



The Brown Tree-creeper is found in greatest numbers in 

 the Mallee fringes, a class of country which appears to offer 

 great attraction to this bird, which finds in the rough bark of 

 the She-oak (Casuarina) and Native Pine {Callitris) special 

 faciUties for obtaining a food supply. It is blessed w4th a 

 prying nature, poking into logs and tree spouts, and occasion- 

 ally hunting amongst a small pile of fallen timber in its search 

 for insects. 



The nest is built in the hollow of a tree, easilv found by 



