516 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



three to five. The eggs of the first clutch are from six to nine in number. 

 They are, when blown, pure white or creamy white in ground-colour, 

 rather richly marked with brownish red spots, and with a few greyish 

 underlying markings. They differ considerably in the amount and 

 arrangement of the markings ; but it will usually be noticed that all the 

 eggs in one clutch are very similar. In some clutches the spots are con- 

 fined to a zone round the large end of the egg ; some are very rich in colour, 

 others pale. In other clutches this zone is almost confluent ; whilst in 

 others the markings are few, and composed of very deep-reddish-brown 

 spots almost like those on the egg of the Chiffchaff. They vary in length 

 from '7 to '58, and in breadth from '5 to '45 inch. 



The food of the Creeper is composed principally of the insects which lurk 

 in the crevices of the bark. Spiders are also a favourite morsel with the 

 bird. Its flight is undulating, and not very rapid. 



The typical form of the Creeper has the general colour of the upper parts 

 dark brown, streaked with rufous-brown and buffi sh white, paler on the 

 rump and darkest on the head ; the wing-coverts are brown, tipped with 

 pale buff; the wings are dark brown, barred with paler brown, and the 

 secondaries are tipped with dull white ; the tail-feathers, which are stiff 

 and pointed, are reddish brown, with yellow shafts. The colour of the 

 underparts is silvery white, suffused with buff on the flanks and under 

 tail-coverts. Bill dark brown above, pale brown below ; legs, feet, and 

 claws brown ; irides hazel. The female does not differ in colour from the 

 male. Young birds closely resemble their parents, but the bill is much 

 shorter and almost straight. 



