

SPECIES 2. CERTHM 



BLACK AND WHITE CREEPER. 

 [Plate XIX. Fig. 3.] 



EDWARDS, pi 300. White poll Warbler, Jlrct. Zool. 402. JVo. 

 293. Lefiguier varit, BUFF, v, 305. LATH. n,488.-~ TURTOV, 

 i, p. 603. PEALE'S Museum, JM>. 7092. 



THIS nimble and expert little species seldom perches on the 

 small twigs; but circumambulates the trunk, and larger branches, 

 in quest of ants and otfcer insects, with admirable dexterity. It 

 arrives in Pennsylvania, from the south, about the twentieth of 

 April, the young begin to fly early in July; and the whole tribe 

 abandon the .country about the beginning of October. Sloane 

 describes this bird as an inhabitant of the West India islands, 

 where it probably winters. It was first figured by Edwards 

 from a dried skin sent him by Mr. William Bartram, who gave 

 it its present name. Succeeding naturalists have classed it with 

 the warblers; a mistake which I have endeavoured to rectify. 



The genus of Creepers comprehends about thirty different 

 species, many of which are richly adorned with gorgeous plu- 

 mage; but, like their congenial tribe the Woodpeckers, few of 

 them excel in song; their tongues seem better calculated for 

 extracting noxious insects from the bark of trees, than for tril- 

 ling out sprightly airs; as the hardened hands of the husband- 

 man are better suited for clearing the forest or guiding the 

 plough, than dancing among the keys of a forte-piano. Which 

 of the two is the most honourable and useful employment is not 

 difficult to determine. Let the farmer, therefore, respect this 

 little bird for its useful qualities, in clearing his fruit and forest 



* Linn&us placed this bird in his genus Motacilla, and Latham arranged it 

 in Sylvia, It does not belong- to the genus Certhia as at present restricted. 



