186 COMMON CREEPER. 



their colours the Creepers rival the Humming- 

 Birds, to which they are so nearly allied that in 

 some of the smaller species the distinction between 

 the two genera becomes somewhat obscure. The 

 general food of the Creepers consists of insects, 

 while many of the smaller species extract likewise 

 the juices of flowers in the manner of the Humming- 

 Birds. To this must be added, that the alliance 

 between this genus and the preceding one of Me- 

 rops is very close, and that some species might 

 with almost equal propriety be ranked in either 

 genus. 



COMMON CREEPER. 



Certhia familiaris. C. castanea nigro albidoque varia f subtus alba, 



cauda subfulva rectricibus acuminatis. 

 Chesnut Creeper varied with black and whitish, beneath white, 



with subfulvous pointed tail. 

 Certhia familiaris. C. grisea subtus alba, remigibus fuscis decem 



macula alba, rectricibus deccm. ' Lin. Syst. Nat. 

 Certhia. Gesn. Aldr. tell. Will. fyc. 

 Common Creeper. Perm. Brit. Zool. Lath. syn. fyc. $c. 

 Le Grimpereau. Buff. ois. PI. Enl. 681. /. 1. Vidl. Certh. 



pi. 72. 



" THE Creeper, says Mr. Pennant, weighs only 

 five drams, and next to the Crested Wren, is the 

 least of the British birds. The manner it has of 

 ruffling its feathers, and their length, give it a 

 much larger appearance than is real. The length 

 of this bird is five inches and a half; the breadth 



