388 INSESSORES. CERTHJA. CREEPER. 



COMMON CREEPER. 



CERTHIA FAMILIARIS, Linn. 

 PLATE XXXIX. FIG. 2. 



Certhia familiaris, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 184. 1. Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 469. sp. 1 



Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. 280. 

 Certhia, Ran Syn. p. 47. A. 5 Will p. 100. t. 23 Briss. p. 603. 1 Id. 



8vo. 2. p. 2. 

 Le Grimpereau, Buff. Ois. v. 5. p. 581. t, 2L f. 1 Id. PL Enl. 681. f. I 



Temm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 410. 

 Gemeine Baumlaufer, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 1085 Meyer, Tas- 



schenb. Deut. v. p. 130 Frisch. Vog. t. 39. f. 1. and 2. 

 Common Creeper, Br. Zool. 1. No. 92. t. 39 Arct. Zoo\. 2. No. 174. 



Lewirfs Br. Birds, 2. t. 55 Alton. 3. t. 25. Lath. Syn. 2. p. 701 Id. 



Supp. p. 126 Mont. Ornith. Diet. 1 Bewick's Br. Birds, v. 1. p. 125 



Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 5. Wale. Syn. 1. 54 Shaw's Zool. v. 8. p. 186. 



THIS bird, like the preceding one, is the only European 

 species of its genus. It is indigenous, and very generally 

 dispersed throughout England, being found wherever trees 

 grow abundantly. It is common also in Scotland : I have 

 noticed it in the woods at Blair in Athole, and at Dunkeld. 

 With the exception of the Golden-crested Regulus, it is the 

 smallest of our native birds, and weighs scarcely two 

 drachms. It is an excellent climber, and is constantly in 

 motion, on the trunks and branches of trees, always in a 

 perpendicular or spiral ascent, and, like the Woodpeckers, 

 using its stiff, sharp-pointed, and deflected tail, as an aid for 

 Food. tnat purpose. It feeds entirely upon small insects, finding 

 Nest, &c. them in the seams and crevices of the bark. Its nest is 

 made in some hole of a decayed tree, and is formed of grass, 

 and the dry inner bark, with a lining of feathers. The eggs 

 vary in number, from seven to nine, and are white, speckled 

 with reddish-brown. In the summer, the Creeper may be 

 frequently heard, repeating its weak and monotonous note, 

 which differs but slightly from that of the Regulus. Ac- 

 cording to TEMMINCK, it is common throughout Europe, 

 though in some parts migratory. 



