OF NEW ENGLAND. 69 
about ten feet from the ground, and built behind a strip of 
thick bark, that projected in such a way, as to leave a protected 
cavity behind it.” Dr. Brewer has described the eggs as 
‘‘nearly oval in shape, with a grayish-white ground, sparingly 
sprinkled with small, fine, red and reddish-brown spots. They 
measure *05 ‘43 of an inch.” 
(c). In Eastern Massachusetts the Brown Creepers are in 
winter common, less so, however, than in March, April, and 
October, when migrating from South to North or vice versa ; 
on the milder winter-days they may often be seen, as in spring 
and fall, about open woodland, near houses, and ‘ even in vil- 
lage streets ;” whereas during the colder weather they frequent 
thicker and more sheltered woods. Only a very few pass the 
summer in this State, a much larger number“inhabiting the ex- 
tensive forests of northern New England, during that season. 
Like the titmice and nuthatches (with whom they often as- 
sociate, not being themselves gregarious), they are habitually 
among trees; but, unlike those birds, they rarely if ever de- 
scend to the ground, and never hang with the head downwards. 
They are constantly in pursuit of insects; hunting for them 
somewhat in the manner of woodpeckers, by clinging to the 
trunk or larger branches of the trees, on which they have 
alighted, propping themselves with their stiff tail-feathers, 
and moving about as securely as on a flat surface. Their pro- 
gress is generally systematic, for they usually alight near the 
foot of the tree, and climb up toward the top; but’ they are 
often induced, perhaps by a lack of insects, to desert one tree 
for another, before they have examined it thoroughly. More- 
over, they often ascend in spirals, particularly on the trunks of 
the pine, one of their favorite trees, and thus confuse the 
observer, as they are soon lost to sight. Often, when I have 
awaited their appearance on one side, they have flown off to a 
neighboring tree, or, when I have run round to their side, they 
have climbed round to mine. But they are not shy, and it is 
not difficult, when aided by even a very little experience, to 
‘‘ keep track” of their movements, and to watch their motions. 
(d). The ordinary notes of the Brown Creepers are a feeble 
lisp, a chip which they generally repeat when flying, and a 
