168 THE TREE-CREEPER. 



the bark of trees, or under the mosses and lichens that 

 invest their limbs. In these pursuits its actions are 

 more like those of a mouse than of a bird, darting like 

 a great moth from tree to tree, uttering a faint trilling 

 sound as it fixes on their boles, running round them in 

 a spiral direction, when with repeated wriggles having 

 gained the summit, it darts to another, and commences 

 again ; and so intent is it on the object of pursuit, and 

 unsuspicious of harm, that I have seen it swept from 

 the tree with a stick. Mr. Pennant thinks that it retires 

 into milder regions upon the advance of winter; but 

 many certainly remain with us. In the early part of 

 the spring, when food is comparatively scarce in the 

 woods, it will frequent the mossy trees in our orchards 

 and gardens ; but after a very short examination of 

 them, is away to its usual retirements, seeking no 

 familiarity with us, notwithstanding the social epithet 

 it has obtained. This little creature is observed in no 

 great numbers ; yet its actions and manners seem to be 

 such as would tend to its increase. The female lays 

 eight or nine eggs ; it roosts securely in the holes of 

 large trees; and from its manner of feeding, and the 

 places it inhabits, it can scarcely be destroyed by birds 

 of prey ; yet, from some counteracting cause, our little 

 certhia, instead of increasing, apparently becomes a 

 scarcer bird. The limits that are appointed to the in- 

 crease of all the inferior orders of creation are very 

 worthy of remark. There may be periods when a great 

 augmentation of individual species takes place ; but this 

 circumstance is local, or temporary, and future numbers 

 do not result from it. Some motive for the increase, no 

 doubt, existed ; but, the object being accomplished, it 

 ceases, and apparent events, or imperceptible causes, 

 reduce the profusion of the race, so that certain num- 

 bers only continue. This little tree-creeper, though al- 

 ways active, seems to possess most animation and rest- 

 lessness in the autumnal months. 



The yellow wagtail (motacilla flava) is so regularly 

 seen with us in his season, as to be quite a common 

 bird, breeding in our fields ; yet generally observed as 

 he is, he always invites our attention, by his graceful 



