passeres— cbethiiuae— c. familiakis var. americana. 177 

 Fam. CERTHIID^: Creepers. 



CERTHIA FAMILIARIS, L., var. AMERICANA, Boii. 

 Brovrn Creeper. 



Certhia amerieana, Bonap., Coinp. List, 1838. — Newb., P. R. R. Rep., vi, 1857, 79. — 

 Bd., Birds N. A., 1858, 372, pi. 83, f. 2.— Heerm., P. R. R. Rep., x, pt. iv, 

 1859, 40.— Kennerly, P. R. K. Rep., Whipple's Route, 1859, 26.— Henry, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1859, 107 (New Mexico).— Coop. & Suckl., P. 

 R. E. Rep., sii, pt. ii, 1860, 192.— Bd., Rev. Am. Birds, i, 1864, 89.— CouES, 

 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 1866, 79.— Snow, Birds Kau., 1872, 9. 



Certhia familiaris, L. — Woodhouse, Sitgreave's Exp. Ziiiii & Col. Riv., 1854, 66. — 

 CouEs, Key N. A. Birds, 1872, 84, f. 28.— Bd., Brew., & Ridg., N. A. Birds, 

 i, 1874, 125, pi. viii, f. 11.— CouES, U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., Birds Northwest, 

 1874, 26. 



Certhia familiaris var. amerieana. Henshaw, An. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., xi, 1874, 

 3.— Id., An. List Birds Utah, 1872, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, il.—Id., 

 Rep. Oru. Specs., 1873, Wheeler's Exped., 1874, 73. 



Certhia mexicana, Bd., Birds N. A., 1858, 923, pi. 83, f. 2.— Cooper, Am. Nat., iii, 1869, 

 74..-.Id., Birds Cal., 1870, 58, 



This Creeper has a very general distribution, and in the West is foimd 

 in about the same degree of abundance as in the Eastern States. It was 

 of rather frequent occurrence in the pine regions of Southern Colorado in 

 June, and was evidently breeding. On several occasions, I noticed the species 

 at Mount Graham, Ariz., and, as late as August 3, found the young still in 

 the first plumage, and, though able to feed and care for themselves, still 

 accompanied by their parents. It has here the same thin, wiry, long drawn 

 note which characterizes it elsewhere, and it is this which most often betrays 

 its presence ; for so close does it keep to the trunks of the trees, over which 

 it appears to glide, and so perfectly do its colors harmonize with the tints of 

 the rough bark, that, even when made aware of its actual presence, it is often 

 no easy task to discover its exact whereabouts. Though usually unsuspi- 

 cious, and pursuing its avocation with perfect unconcern in spite of the 

 looker on, its disposition in this respect varies much; both in the East 

 and West, it will occasionally manifest alarm, and, by hiding and dodging 

 behind the limbs, endeavor to escape observation ; in this particular resem- 

 bling many of the woodpeckers. 

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