Woodland Birds 



which his long, slender, decurved beak is 

 peculiarly adapted. 



The nest is sometimes placed in a hole, but 

 according to my experience, much more fre- 

 quently behind some partially dislodged piece of 

 bark, the materials used being slender twigs, dead 

 grass, sometimes little chips of decayed wood, 

 wool, moss and feathers. Five or six eggs are 

 usually laid, but as many as nine have been found. 



The Treecreeper is always an interesting bird 

 to watch, but on one occasion I was especially 

 amused at an attempt at deception on the part of 

 one engaged in building. Noticing that the bird 

 held some material in its beak, I waited for it to 

 show me where its nest was situated, but this, 

 apparently, was just what it did not wish to do. 

 The Creeper continued climbing for perhaps eight 

 feet, crying out from time to time with rather an 

 anxious ring in its long-drawn note. Then it flew 

 to another tree, which it climbed in a similar, aim- 

 less sort of way, then to another and yet another. 

 Seemingly the limit of its patience was reached, 

 for at last it lit on the tree, where I had already 

 suspected its nest to be. About ten feet from the 

 ground the bark had been partially torn away, 

 forming a very attractive site. The bird mounted 

 steadily towards it, till, with a sudden side-long 

 dart, it disappeared behind the bark. When the 

 fresh bit of material was disposed of to its taste, 

 with one quick movement it was out of its hole 



5* 



