PIED CREEPER. 235 



passing beneath it and above it over the eye, above 

 which is a black line : the crown of the head is white ; 

 the throat black : the neck, back, and rump are 

 white, with large black spots down the middle of the 

 feathers: the wing is black, having the tips of the 

 two principal rows of covert-feathers white, which 

 form bars across the wings: the quills next the 

 back are edged with white : the inner covert- 

 feathers of the wings are white; the quills ash- 

 coloured, with the edges of their inner webs white: 

 the under side, from the breast to the coverts be- 

 neath the tail, is white, spotted on the breast and 

 sides of the belly with black : the tail is black, the 

 edges of the feathers grey: its underside * is ash- 

 coloured, and the inner webs of the outer feathers 

 have white spots." 



The female, which is figured in the work of 

 Monsr. Viellot, differs in being somewhat smaller, 

 and in having the chin, lower part of the neck, and 

 cheeks white, the breast obscurely dashed with 

 small dusky spots, the back black, and the belly 

 dusky, or deep ash-colour. The young are said 

 to resemble the female. 



This species is a native of North America, ar- 

 riving in Pensylvania and the neighbouring states 

 in spring, and quitting them in autumn, in order 

 to pass the winter in Jamaica, St. Domingo, ami 

 others of the Antilles. It resides chiefly on tall 

 trees, is of a solitary disposition, and has no other 

 song than a weak cry, which it utters but rarely : 

 its nest seems to be unknown. 



