200 W. II. St. Quintin—Notes on the Wall-creeper


ample flying space between, and perhaps in addition some heaps of

stones and old mortar, amidst which their live food might have been

scattered. I was deceived by the apparently excellent health of the

birds, and did not pay sufficient regard to the consequence of high

feeding and a sedentary life ! I continued the diet which they were

accustomed to before they came to me, a German mixture for soft-

billed birds, first quality dried ants' 1 “ eggs ”, and fresh ones, while

procurable, as well as wasp-grubs, gentles, and mealworms. Of the

latter they probably had too many, for it was hard to resist the

temptation to call up the beautiful creatures, which were always

watching one’s hand and ready to take the tempting morsel from

one’s fingers.


I kept the male for exactly a year. Early in February he began to

assume the dark feathers on back and throat characteristic of the

breeding plumage, and all seemed promising. But in June he became

lame, with swollen toes, and though I reduced the more stimulating food

he remained unwilling to move about, seeming altogether amiss, and

on July 30 he was found dead. “ A clot of blood on the brain, diseased

feet, but organs healthy,” was the report after the post-mortem

examination. The female survived till two months later, dying from

the same malady, to my great regret.


The bird has a wide range, from the Spanish Sierra, across Europe

and Asia, to the Himalayas and China, and specimens from the different

mountain ranges, I believe, show no variation. In the high Alps it may

be looked for wherever there are extensive limestone precipices. Its

unusual way of working along the perpendicular cliffs by short leaps,

keeping its breast to the rock and expanding and closing its crimson

wings with successive jerks, catches one’s eye at once. In fact, the little

bird appears to disdain the principle of protective colouring, for while

the rest of the plumage harmonizes well with the grey rocks, the

apparently needless display of the bright colour every time the wings

are opened must often expose it to danger. Amongst the likely places

for the bird are the perpendicular rocks of the Gemmi Pass and the

precipice near the Kur promenade at Lenkerbad, at both of which places

I have seen it. I once found Wall-creepers breeding at the entrance

to the Trift Thai, near Zermatt, and watched the male feeding his mate



