258 BIEDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



Family CERTHIAD^:. 



All the four species of Certhiadae appear to be 

 included amongst the birds of Somerset. 



CREEPER, Certhia familiaris. This pretty inte- 

 resting little bird is one of our commonest residents, 

 and may be seen in every orchard, plantation or 

 wooded hedge- row, climbing up the trunks and along 

 the larger branches of the trees in search of food ; 

 it does not, however, confine its search to trees, for 

 it may be constantly seen climbing over and picking 

 insects from the chinks in old posts, rotten railings 

 and even walls. I have also frequently seen it simi- 

 larly occupied running over the matting on the in- 

 side of a summer-house. In habits it is a true 

 climber, although it has not, like the Woodpecker, 

 the outside toe reversed, but has three toes in front 

 and one behind ; it has, however, the stiff pointed 

 feathers in the tail. It is by far the smallest -of the 

 Scansores, not exceeding the Blue Tit in size. Its 

 food is entirely insects, consisting chiefly of small 

 beetles, spiders, the larvae of butterflies, and all the 

 various insects that are usually to be found hidden 

 in such places as I have before mentioned. 



It is rather an early breeder, beginning to build 

 about the beginning of April: its nest is placed 

 either in a hole in a tree or behind a loose piece of 

 bark. I have also found the nest in a chink between 



