THE NUTHATCH. 



263 



numing up old walls, and seeking for the insects that are always to be found in such 

 localities. 



The nest of the Creeper is usually made in the hollow of some decaying tree, and is 

 made of grasses, leaves, and vegetalile filjres, and lined with feathers. The eggs are very 

 small, about seven or eight in number, and of an ashen-grey colour, sprinkled \vith little 

 grey-brown spots. Sometimes it builds in tlie hole of an old wall, and has been known 

 to make its nest in a disused spout. 



The Wall Creeper is a native of central 

 and southern Europe, and is found plentifully 

 in all suitable localities. It is called the 

 Wall Creeper because it frequents walls and 

 perpendicular rocks in preference to tree 

 trunks. 



In its movements it does not resemble 

 the common Creeper ; for, instead of running 

 over the walls with a quick and even step, it 

 flies from point to point with little jerking 

 movements of the wing, and when it has ex- 

 plored the spot on which it has alighted, 

 takes flight for another. The food of this 

 bird is similar to that of the common 

 Creeper, but it is especially fond of spiders 

 and their eggs, finding them plentifully in 

 the localities wliich it frequents. Old ruined 

 castles are favourite places of resort for thi.s 

 bird, as are also the precipitous faces of 

 rugged rocks. 



The nest of the Wall Creeper is made 

 in the cleft of some lofty rock, or in one 

 of the many holes which are so plentifully 

 found in the old ruined edifices which it 

 so loves. 



In colour the Wall Creeper is a very 

 pretty bird, the general colour of the plu- 

 mage being light grey, relieved by a patch of 

 bright crimson upon the shoulders, the larger 

 wing-coverts, and the inner webs of the 

 secondaries. The remainder of the quill- 

 feathers of the wing are black, and the tail 

 is black tipped with white. It is a much 

 larger bird than the Creeper of England, 

 measuring about six inches in total length. 



There is a curious genus of the Creeping-bird, known by the name of Climacteeis. 

 All the members of this genus are inhabitants of Australia, and notices of the individual 

 species may be seen in Mr. Gould's well-known work on the birds of that country. They 

 are generally found upon the tall gum-trees, traversing their rugged bark with great 

 rapidity, and probing the crevices in search of insects, after the manner of the common 

 Engli.sh' Creeper. They do not confine themselves to the bark, but may often be seen 

 rumiing into the " spouts," or hollow branches, which are so often Jound in the gum-trees, 

 and hunting out the various nocturnal insects which take refuge in these dark recesses 

 during the hours of daylight. 



The Nuthatches form another gi-oup of the Certhidte, and are represented in England 

 by the common Nuthatch of our woods. They are all remarkable for their peculiarly 

 stout and sturdy bxiild, their strong, pointed, cylindrical beaks, and their very short tails. 



WALL CREEPER. — Tichodroiiia murdrhi-s. 



