KKKI'i 



them hare doubtless been charming you with their rippling, bub- 

 l-liiitf. gurgling song. It is quite beyond th.-ir >ntr<>l; tht-y aeem 

 till.-.l tu overflowing with an inexhaustible supply of music. Some- 

 times, like a mine of melody, it explodes within them and lifts them 

 from the dark recesses of the flags up into the air above. 



75b. C. p. flrlBCina Hrrtcit. WORTIIINOTOX'S MAMII WREN. 



" Black of upper part* much .luH.-r aiul Iww extended than in paluttrit, usu- 

 ally confined to the extreme Mat of the crown and a short, narrow area in 

 i. IK- of the back, and in extreme specimen* almost wholly absent 

 Brown of side*, flanks, un.l U|>|HT parts pale and grayish. Dark marking* of 

 tin- uiuler tail-coverts, flank*, side*, and brvast taint, confused, un<l iix-uii- 

 -pii-uou.-*, Momfiinifs practically wanting." W., 1-80; T., 1-53; B., -50 (Brew- 



Auk, x, 1898, p. 218). 

 Kantjt. Coast of South Carolina and Georgia. 



726.1. C. p. BUUiAiUB (Scott). MARIAN'S MARSH WREN. Similar 

 :!u*tru. hut with the U|>IHT parts darker, the sides and flanks of about 

 the same color as tin- rump ; tin- under tail-coverts, and sometimes the breast, 

 barred or spotted with 1.1,.,-k. W., 1-85 ; T., 1-75; B., -52. 



Kangt. Gulf coast of Florida, and probably westward to Louisiana. 



FAMILY CERTHIID^:. CREEPERS. 



This is an Old- World family, numbering about twelve species, of 

 whirh only one is found in America. Our bird and its several races 

 belong to the northern group containing the species with stiffened 

 tails. It is a true tree-creeper, and, like a Woodpecker, uses its tail 

 as a prop in climbing. 



726. Certhia, ftuniliaris ajncricana ( Bonap.}. BROWN C'RKEPBK. 

 (See Fig. M.) Ad. Upper parts mixed white, fusrou*. an. I .H'hraceous-buff; 

 rump pal rufotu; win?* with a band of crvain-hutV; tail pale grayish 

 brown, the feathers *tif tncl nn,f nharply pointtil ; umlt-r parts white; bill 

 slightly iii". T.. -''.:>; H. .'.:<. 



' ;i--<t-ni North America; breeds frtmi Minnesota and .Maine north- 

 ward, and southward in Alh-.-himir- ; North ('urolinu; winters from Canada 

 :fSutca, 



WashintrtAn. common W. V., Sept 25 to ApL 25. Situr Sing, tolerably 

 common \v. v.. s,.pt so to May 7. Cambridge, common T. V., rather com- 

 N . Sopt 25 to May 1. 



jft*t, of twig*, strips of hark, bits of deml woo<l, momi, etc., placed behind 

 the loose bark of a tree. Egg*, five t<> i-iuht, whitr. ^jM.tt-.l and speckled 

 with cinnamon- >r nifous ln>wn and lavi-ndi-r. rh'u-rty in a wreath at the 

 larger end, -62 x -47 (Brewt-r. Bull. Nutt. o m . riub, iv. \^:>, p. 199). 



The facts in the case will doubtless show that the patient, plod- 

 ding Brown Creeper is searching f<>r tin 1 in-.-rK fgjr*. and larv which 

 an- hiiidni in crevices in the bark ; but after watrhing him for several 

 minute* one becomes impressed with the thought that he has lost the 



M 



