TREE-CREEPER. 81 



CERTHIID^. 



TREE-CREEPER. 



Certhia familiar is. 



This is by no means an uncoaimon bird^ thougb nowhere 

 numerous, and appears to be strongly attached to particular 

 localities, and is generally solitary or in pairs ; it is never 

 found far from old timbei", as that of the old orchard or the 

 \voods. It is a lively little creature, in constant motion, 

 and spends most of its time in diligently searching for in- 

 sects in the cracks and crevices of the trees, among which 

 the old oak and Scotch fir appear to be its favourites. On 

 their trunks it climbs with a running jerking motion, chiefly 

 in an upward direction, and proceeding spirally from the 

 bottom of the tree to the top, in which it is greatly assisted 

 by its stiff tail-feathers. It never appears to descend the 

 tree, but on reaching the top flies rapidly to the bottom of 

 another, and proceeds again as before. From its activity In 

 climbing, it is generally known as the "Tvee-cHmmer/' 



As the time of pairing approaches, it utters a rather loud 

 and very shrill little song, and chooses for its nest some 

 place where the bark has been rent from the body of the 

 tree, and is s(j left as to afford room for it between it and 

 the bark. It is generally composed of pieces of straw and 

 grass or fine sticks, and is lined with any soft material. In 

 my own garden it has for several years placed its nest on 

 the side of an old chicken-house, between the boarding and 

 spruce-fir bark which had been nailed on but loosened by 

 the wind. Part of the wall of this building had been covered 

 with asphalted felt which had partially decayed, and of this 

 I saw the bird collecting the fibres and carrying them to its 



G 



