258 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
Family CERTHIADSE. 
All the four species of Certhiade appear to be 
included amongst the birds of Somerset. 
CREEPER, Certhia familiaris. This pretty inte- 
resting little bird is one of our commonest residents, 
and may be seen mm every orchard, plantation or 
wooded hedge-row, climbing up the trunks and along 
the larger branches of the trees in search of food ; 
it does not, however, confine its search to trees, for 
it may be constantly seen climbing over and picking 
insects from the chinks in old posts, rotten railings 
and even walls. I have also frequently seen it simi- 
larly occupied running over the matting on the in- 
side of a summer-house. In habits it is a true 
climber, although it has not, like the Woodpecker, 
the outside toe reversed, but has three toes in front 
and one behind; it has, however, the stiff pointed 
feathers in the tail. It is by far the smallest of the 
Scansores, not exceeding the Blue Tit in size. Its 
food is entirely insects, consisting chiefly of small _ 
beetles, spiders, the larve of butterflies, and all the 
various insects that are usually to be found hidden 
in such places as I have before mentioned. 
It is rather an early breeder, beginning to build 
about the beginning of April: its nest is placed 
either in a hole in a tree or behind a loose piece of 
bark. I have also found the nest in a chink between 
