72 PASSERES. CERTHIAD^l. 



habit, for it is associated with the power of climb- 

 ing with dexterity, by means of the long and 

 strong hind claw. Mr. Vigors, indeed, considers 

 these birds to represent in Australia the true 

 Woodpeckers, no species of which Family, though 

 a widely scattered one, having been discovered in 

 that continent. 



FAMILY V. CERTHIAD^:. 



There is in this Family a manifest departure 

 from the tenuirostral type, and a decided ap- 

 proach to the following Order, connecting itself 

 very obviously with the Woodpeckers, through 

 the genus Dendrocolaptes on the one side, and 

 Colaptes on the other. The tongue, though still 

 capable of protrusion, is no longer divided into 

 filaments, but the tip is sharp, horny, and fitted 

 for transfixing insects, which are sought beneath 

 the bark of trees, in crevices of walls, and similar 

 concealed situations. To procure these, the beak 

 also is usually slender, sharp-pointed, and strong, 

 curved in various degrees, sometimes, as in the 

 Wall- creeper (Tichodroma muraria, LINN.) of 

 Southern Europe, being almost straight, at others, 

 as in some of the Tree-creepers (Dendrocolaptes, 

 HERM.) of Brazil, bent almost to a semicircle. 



The Creepers, as their name imports, are true 

 climbers, though their feet have not the typical 

 Scansorial structure. The outer toe is not re- 

 versible, but the back toe is considerably longer 

 and stronger than it is in the generality of pas- 

 serine birds. Mr. Vigors, indeed, arranges them 



