The Tree Creeper. 27 
The Creeper is solitary in its habits. During 
summer it spends its day either alone or with a mate, 
but never in large numbers. In winter, however, it 
often associates with little companies of titmice of 
various kinds. It is curious that birds of such 
different dispositions should congregate together— 

Fie. 6. 
Tail of Creeper. 
From nature. Natural size. 
the titmouse, with its life and sprightliness, is 
always happy, and, one might say, playful, while 
the Creeper is ever hard at work, silently plodding 
up the trees in search of its daily food. 
The food of the Creeper, as may be supposed, 
consists of small beetles, larve, spiders, and other 
insects which infest the bark of trees. The bird 
