148 ACTIVE MOVEMENTS OF THE CREEPER 



in an aimless way about the trunks of trees, or at most only 

 caring to see how fast it can scramble up to the top. During 

 all this time, however, the bird is on the alert in the search for 

 insects, which it extracts from their lurking places with such 

 dexterity that its progress is scarcely arrested for a moment ; 

 and the numbers of these minute creatures yearly destroyed 

 is simply incalculable. The Creeper is strongly attached to 

 the trunks of large trees, being seldom, seen foraging on even 

 the larger branches; and it has a great fancy for traveling 

 upward. These two traits combined result in its marked habit 

 of beginning its curious search for insects near the bottom of 

 a tree, and ascending with jerks in a straight or spiral line to 

 the top. Then, if it likes the tree, and thinks it a good place 

 to stay a while longer in, the bird launches itself into the air, 

 and drops down on wing, to begin another ascent, in prefer- 

 ence to scrambling down again, as a Woodpecker or Nuthatch 

 would do. The easy, gliding motion with which it climbs has 

 deceived one writer into stating that the Creeper does not hop 

 along like a "Woodpecker; but, in fact, the movement is exactly 

 the same in both cases. One of the English writers (Barrington, 

 Zool. 2d. ser. ix. p. 3998) describes, however, something peculiar 

 in the position of the feet during the act of climbing : These, he 

 says, are not held parallel with each other, and near together, 

 under the belly, but widely straddled, and thrown so far forward 

 as to form with the end of the tail a surprisingly broad-based 

 isosceles triangle. So nimble is the bird, and such a sly way 

 has it of eluding observation by turning in the opposite direc- 

 tion to that in which a person moves te look after it, thus con- 

 tinually interposing the trunk of the tree in the line of vision, 

 that it is no wonder the way it holds its feet long remained 

 unascertained. Many things conspire to screen the queer little 

 bird from any but the most patient and closest scrutiny during 

 its ordinary avocations; and so nearly do its colors correspond 

 with the tints of the bark that it is likely to be overlooked 

 altogether. But its habits are so methodical and undeviating 

 that when one has learned them there is no difficulty. If we 

 see a Creeper alight at the base of a tree on the side away from 

 us, we have only to stand still, and keep a sharp lookout for it 

 higher up; in a few moments, its spiral twisting will bring it 

 round to our side ; the chief point is to look high enough up, 

 for it is surprising how rapidly the bird ascends. It generally 

 makes the whole journey before dropping on wing to the base 



