SUPPLEMENT TO BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY 



173 



313 [725] Telmatodytes palustris palustris (Wils.). 



Long-billed jMarsh Wren. 

 Abundant summer resident, locally. May 14 to October 5 (November 5). 

 Eggs: June 5 to August. 



314 [726] Certhia familiaris americana (Bonap.). 



Brown Creeper. 



Permanent resident, very rare in summer, uncommon in winter ; common 

 transient visitor. September 13 to May i ; summer. 



Eggs: May 16. 



The courtship song of this bird is seldom mentioned. It is loud and clear 

 and sweet with only a few fine notes that suggest the ordinary call-notes. I have 

 heard it repeated four times a minute and have written it down sece-a-wi't, wit. 

 The last note comes after a slight pause and appears to be an afterthought. 



315 [7^7] Sitta carolinensis carolinensis Lath. 

 White-breasted Nuthatch. 



Permanent resident, rare in summer, common in autumn ; uncommon in 

 spring and winter. 



Eggs: April 3 to May. 



The courtship song is a repetition of short clear notes which suggest a minia- 

 ture Flicker. 



316 [728] Sitta canadensis Linn. 



Red-breasted Nuthatch. 



Irregular and at times abundant autumn transient visitor, less common in 

 winter and spring; rare summer resident. August 14 to May 16. 



Eggs: May 23. 



The courtship song may often be heard in the early spring. It consists of a 

 rapid repetition of its short tin-trumpet calls. Sometimes the song is given from 

 a perch and the wings are slightly open. In a ^larch snow-storm at Ipswich I 



