22 



Lute, and Thos. W. Wilson, found large flocks on the salt meadows 

 connecting Constitution Island with the east shore, in October, 1875. 

 I saw a large flock, at Fort Miller, Washington County, N. Y., on 

 November 9, 1876. 



Dimensions. Length, 6-38; stretch, 10-25; wing, 3-50; tail, 2-69; 

 culmen, '47; tarsus, -81. 



Family, SYLVICOLID^3. 



20. Mniotilta varia, (Z-i'nne). BLACK AND WHITE CREEPING WAR- 

 BLER. A common summer resident ; breeds ; particularly numerous 

 during the spring migrations. Arrives the first of May (8, 1873; 4, 

 1874; April 30, 1875; May 3, 1876; April 30, 1877; 26, 1878; 26, 1879), 

 and remains till October (14th, 1876). 



The Black and White Creepers are interesting little birds, that 

 spend the greater part of their time in creeping upon the trunks and 

 branches of trees, somewhat after the fashion of the Brown Creeper. 

 When first arrived, in spring, they sing a feeble refrain ; but, a little 

 later, when the full tide of migration has set in from the South, the 

 Creepers may be seen perched upon the highest tree-tops, singing a 

 very sweet little ditty, almost exactly like the song of the Redstart 

 (tietophaga ruticilla). After this matin performance they drop down 

 upon the tree-trunks, and creep about them in spirals in search of 

 insects, uttering a low, inward note; hopping out to the extremity of 

 a branch, they will amuse themselves with flying out in short curves 

 after insects. They sometimes inhabit swampy thickets, doubtless 

 attracted thither by the abundance of insects ; their presence there 

 may be detected by the utterance of certain harsh, screeching notes 

 that are peculiar to itself. 



Their nest is placed upon the ground ; generally sheltered by a pro- 

 jecting rock, or stump. A pair once nestled close to my house. The 

 nest, built upon a bed of leaves, sheltered by a jutting rock, was 

 composed of strips of grape-vine bark, stems of plants, and grasses, 

 loosely felted. The parents were very gentle, and seemed to appre- 

 hend from my frequent visits no greater misfortune than a temporary 

 separation from their little ones. The young were five in number. I 

 watched them developing until their parents taught them, first, to 

 climb upon a neighboring grape-vine, and afterwards to attempt short 

 flights from branch to branch ; soon they were strong enough to leave 

 their natal spot, and rambled through the woods together, a happy, 

 rollicking, unbroken little family. 



Dimensions. Average measurements of sixteen specimens : length, 

 5-30; stretch, 8-54; wing, 2-73; tail, 2-02; bill from nostril, -37; gape, 

 60; tarsus, *67; middle toe, -50; its claw, *18. 



