202 Brewster on the American Brown Creeper. 



nest proper had been constructed. It was mainly composed of the 

 fine inner bark of various trees, with an admixture of a little Usnea 

 moss and a number of spiders' cocoons. The whole mass was firmly 

 but rather loosely put together, the different particles retaining 

 their proper position more from the adhesion of their rough sur- 

 faces than by reason of any special arrangement or interweaving. 

 The general shape of the structure necessarily conformed nearly with 

 that of the space within which it was placed, but a remarkable 

 feature was presented by the disposition of the lateral extremities. 

 These were carried upward to a height of several inches above the 

 middle of the nest, ending in long narrow points or horns, which 

 gave to the whole somewhat the shape of a well-filled crescent. In 

 the centre or lowest part of the sag thus formed was the depression 

 for the reception of the eggs, — an exceedingly neat, cup-shaped 

 hollow, bordered by strips of soft, flesh-colored bark and lined with 

 feathers from Ducks and other wild birds. The whole was fastened 

 to the concave inner surface of the bark-scale rather than to the tree 

 itself, so that when the former was detached it readily came off 

 with it. 1 afterwards found two old nests which were perhaps 

 originally built by this same pair of birds, as they were placed on a 

 tree that stood close at hand. They were under a single enormous 

 piece of bark, but at its opposite lateral extremities. One of them, 

 a nearly shapeless mass of rubbish, was scarcely recognizable, but 

 the other still retained its original shape and finish, and contained 

 an unhatched egg, the contents of which had long since dried away. 

 Probably they represented the homes successively occupied during 

 the two preceding seasons, and it is hence likely that this species, 

 like so many others, returns year after year to breed in nearly the 

 same spot. 



If the above description conveys the desired impression to the 

 reader's mind, he can scarcely fail to be struck by the manifold 

 advantages of such a nesting-site. A perfect shelter from the sun 

 and rain is afforded by the roof of bark, which, from the loose at- 

 tachment of its lower edges, allows a sufficiently free circulation of 

 air to insure good ventilation. And as for concealment, excepting 

 of course the positions chosen by some of the ground-building spe- 

 cies, who must necessarily sacrifice nearly every other consideration 

 of safety in favor of this one, it would be difficult to imagine a 

 more perfectly hidden nest. The very simplicity and naturalness 

 of the situation is well calculated to deceive all enemies, and the 



