CERTHIA. 511 
Genus CERTHIA. 
The genus Certhia was established by Linneus in 1766, in his ‘Systema 
Nature,’ i. p. 184. Of course he did not indicate any type; but subse- 
quent ornithologists have removed the other twenty-four birds which 
Linnzus associated with the European Creeper into other genera, leaving 
that bird as the type. As it is the first species in his genus, and is also 
the Certhia certhia of Brisson, no fault can be found with the result. 
The Creepers as thus restricted are somewhat aberrant members of the 
subfamily Parine. Sclater and Salvin, guided by ornithological instinct, 
place the family “ Certhiide”’ between the “ Paride” and the “ Troglo- 
dytide”’ amongst the “ Oscrnres DrentrrostREs,” in spite of their having 
no notch in the bill. Sharpe, trying to avoid the conflict of logical with 
ornithological instinct, raises the genus Certhia and its allies into a group 
‘‘ CeRTHIOMORPH#,” to which he assigns even a higher than family rank. 
To such extremes does the old superstition of the importance in classifica- 
tion of the form of the bill lead its votaries. 
In the genus Certhia the bill is long, slender, and curved, like that of a 
Sun-bird, whilst the tail is rounded, with the feathers stiff and pointed, 
like that of a Woodpecker. In their rounded wings, small bastard primary, 
scutellated tarsus, and large feet with well-developed hind toe, the species 
of this genus are typical Parine. 
The geographical range of the genus is throughout the central and 
southern portions of the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, extending into 
the extreme north of the Oriental and Neotropical regions. The genus 
only contains three species, all more or less divisible into subspecies. One 
species only is found in Europe, which is a resident in our islands. 
The Creepers feed almost entirely on insects, and are intermediate in 
their habits between the Tits and the Woodpeckers. In the position and 
construction of their nests, and in the colour of their eggs, they resemble 
the former. 
