362 COMMON CREEPER. 



CERTHIA, Linnceus. Generic characters. 

 Bill slender, both mandibles curved ; wings 

 long, four first quills graduated ; tail leng- 

 thened, graduated, feathers lanceolate at 

 the tips, rigid ; feet large, all the claws 

 slender, that of the hallux long and curved. 



Type. Certhia familiaris. 



Note. Europe, America, Asia.* 



CERTHIA FAMILIARIS, COMMON CREEPER. 

 Certhia familiaris^ Linn. Creeper or Common 

 Creeper of British authors. The Creeper, next 

 to the Common Goldcrest, is one of our 

 smallest birds, and on this account, together 

 with its shy and retired habits, and peculiar 

 manner of avoiding being seen, by suddenly 

 placing the tree or branch on which it rests 

 between itself and the observer, it is not easily 

 discovered, and has been accounted a rather 

 uncommon bird. This, however, is by no means 

 the case either in England or in the south and 

 middle of Scotland, neither is it urifrequent in 

 Ireland in favourable localities.! The Creeper 

 delights in the older woods, and in parks with 

 old scathed timber ; by remaining stationary for 

 a short while in any retired wood suited to their 

 habits, the weak sibilous note will be heard re- 

 peated at short intervals, and on following the 



* We have not seen the Asiatic form : it may be typical 

 of another sub-genus, 

 t Thompson. 



