837 



CERTHIAD.E. 



CERTHIAD^E. 



833 



breast and belly silvery-white ; tail-feathers twelve, tawny-brown ; 

 length rather more than 5 inches ; weight about 2 drachms (Montagu), 

 Pennant says 5 drachms. 



Creeper (Ccrthia familiaru}. 



The Creeper is a most restless and active little bird, ever on the 

 alert, and climbing up and about the Trunks and branches of trees 

 intent on picking up its insect food. Though comparatively common, 

 and a constant resident in Britain, it is not easily seen, for its activity 

 in shifting its position makes it very difficult to follow it with the 

 eye. At one instant it is before the spectator and the next is hidden 

 from his view by the intervening trunk or branch, to the opposite 

 side of which it has passed in a moment. The form of the tail and 

 organisation of the feet are beautiful adaptations for this sort of rapid 

 locomotion. Its note is monotonous, and often repeated. 



It builds its nest in the hole or behind the bark of decayed trees, 

 formed of dry grass and the inner part of the bark, lined with small 

 feathers, hi which six or eight eggs are deposited. While the female 

 sits on these she is regularly fed by the male bird. 



It in found in Great Britain and the continent of Europe. Pennant 

 says that it migrates to Italy in September and October. Latham 

 states that it is found in various parts of Germany and elsewhere on 

 the Continent, and is also said to inhabit North America. This is 

 confirmed by the Prince of Canino, who, in his ' Specchio Compara- 

 tivo,' notes it as common and permanent near Rome, and rare near 

 Philadelphia. 



Temminek is of opinion that the C. Irachydactyla of Brehm is 

 identical with C. familiarit. 



Ticliodroma (Petrodroma, Vieil].). Bill longer than the head, 

 triangular at the base, slightly bent, rounded, entire, and depressed 

 at the point ; nostrils horizontal ; tail-feathers nearly equal, with 

 ordinary shafts; wings long; fourth, fifth, and sixth quill the longest ; 

 T. muraria, C. Bonap. ; T. phasnicoptera, Temm. ; C. muraria. Linn. 

 This bird is the Grimpereau de Muraille, Pic de Muraille, Ternier, 

 Eschelette, and Echelette, of the French ; Picchio Muraiolo and Picchio 

 di Muro of the Italians ; Matter Baumlaufer of the Germans ; and 

 Wnll-Creeper of Latham. 



The summit of the head is of a deep ash-colour; nape, back, and 

 scapulars bright ash ; throat and front of the neck deep black ; lower 

 parts blackish-ash ; coverts of the wings and upper part of the exterior 

 barbs of the quills bright red; extremity of the alar quills black 

 these quills have two large white spots disposed upon the interior 

 barbs; tail black, terminated with white and ash; bill, iris, and feet 

 black; length 6 inches (i lines. Such is Temminck's description of 

 the male in its nuptial or spring dress. 



The female, according to the same author, has the summit of the 

 head of the same bright ash as the back ; the throat and front of the 

 neck white, slightly tinged with ash ; and the rest of the plumage 

 like that of the male. 



It i* a native of the south of Europe. Tolerably abundant in Spain 

 and Italy, always on the most elevated rocks, and very rare in the 

 HP initains of moderate height. Never found in the north, according 

 to Temminek. The bird is common in Provence ; and the Prince of 

 Canino notes it as permanent and rather rare near Rome, where it 

 may however be seen creeping on the outward walls of St. Peter's. 

 It is not a British bird, at least it has never been recorded as such. 



Temminek says that what the Creeper does upon trees the Wall- 

 Creeper does against the vertical faces of rocks, on wlu'ch it sticks 



firmly (se crampouneut fortement), without however mounting and 

 descending by creeping. Clefts and crevices of rocks and the walls of 

 old edifices are its favourite haunts, and sometimes, but very rarely, 



Wall-Creeper (Tichodroma mui-iii-in}. 



the trunks of trees. It feeds on insects, their larva;, and pupae, and is 

 particularly fond of spiders and their eggs. Belon has figured his 

 example clinging to a pillar with a spider in its bill. The nest is , 

 made in clefts of the most inaccessible rocks, and in the crevices of 

 ruins at a great height. 



The bird moults twice a year. It is in the spring only that the 

 male has the black on the throat, and this ornament disappears before 

 the other feathers fall. The females moult also twice, but without 

 changing colour, which makes it impossible to distinguish the sexes 

 after pairing and breeding time. The young may be distinguished 

 from their parents before their first moult, but in winter no difference 

 is observable. (Temminck.) 



Dendrocolapta (Dendrompus, Vieill.) Bill long or moderate, com- 

 pressed laterally, rather strong, convex, straight or curved, or only 

 curved towards the extremity, pointed ; nostrils lateral, round, open ; 

 tongue short and cartilaginous ; third, fourth, and fifth quills the 

 longest ; tail-feathers stiff, pointed ; hind toe shortest ; claws very 

 much curved, channeled. 



D. procun-w (Temm.), D. trochilorottrit (Wied), is the size of the 

 blackbird. Bill strongly curved, and nearly 20 lines long ; tail 

 graduated, and each feather terminated by a stiff point; general 

 colour cinnamon, passing into dirty ruddy gray on the head and 

 belly ; there are numerous white spots on the head and neck. It is a 

 native of Brazil. 



Dendroculaptcf protwrtis. 



Climacterit. Bill short, weak, very much compressed throughout 

 its length, but little curved, oval shaped ; mandibles equal, pointed ; 

 nostrils basal, lateral, covered by a naked membrane ; feet robust ; 

 tarsi of the length of the middle toe, which as well an the hallux aro 

 extraordinarily long ; claws large and curved, channeled on the sides, 

 subulate, very much hooked; external toe united up to the second 



