OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 69 



soft materials, such as fur, down, hair, and feathers, 

 somewhat loosely thrown together. Soon after 

 the young are hatched, we are told by the same 

 authority, that they climb to the opening to re- 

 ceive their food, and even venture upon the trunks 

 to try their legs and claws, before their alar ap- 

 pendages are prepared for use; then retire at 

 night. 



The eggs present a beautiful roseate tinge when 

 fresh, and also a reddish hue from the spots 

 and blotches " of ferruginous and purplish with 

 which they are closely covered; these markings 

 vary in size, from fine points to well-marked 

 blotches. The average clemensions are .80 by .62 

 of an inch. 



As we have never met the Red-bellied Nuthatch, 

 a near kin of the preceding, in our latitude, we 

 pass on to the next Family which has representa- 

 tives in our fauna. 



Family Certhiidae. Creepers. 



This is a very small and well characterized 

 group of a dozen species included in four or five 

 genera, which fall into two subfamilies; one of 

 these is Tichodromina represented by the Eu- 

 ropean creeper, and a small number of species 

 chiefly Australian of the genus Climacteris\ while 

 the genus Certhia embracing five or six species and 

 varieties, inclusive of one or two allied genera, 

 chiefly belonging to the Old World, constitute the 



