70 COMMON CREEPER. 



also been found in a Martin's nest, in a Swallow's 

 nest, and even amongst the leaves of a Savoy cabbage ! 



The eggs, four to eight, are white a beautiful pinky 

 white before they are blown with a few red spots, 

 generally round the larger end. I have frequently 

 found them with no markings on them at all. The 

 nest is not often found before April is well advanced. 

 In 1881, at the village of Broughton, a mile from Queen- 

 wood, a nest containing seven fresh eggs was found 

 and brought to one of our collectors on the 13th 

 January ! 



The Wren needs hardly any description, as we are 

 all so well acquainted with him. The general colour of 

 the upper parts is dark brown, darkest on the head and 

 neck; the under parts are greyish brown, becoming 

 rather redder lower down. 



COMMON CREEPER. 



CERTHIA FAMILIARIS. 



Family PASSERID^;. Sub-family PARING. Genus CERTHIA. 

 Free Creeper Creeper Tree Climber. 



The Creeper is a very tiny bird, and in colour it so 

 much resembles the trunks of the trees over which it 

 creeps, that even where plentiful we often fail to find 

 it. The difficulty of finding it is increased from the 

 habit it has of running round to the opposite side of 

 the tree immediately it is approached. It is a resident 

 bird, distributed all over Great Britain and Ireland in 

 the wooded parts. It is found most plentifully in the 

 old woods and forests, where the trees have reached a 

 great age, and are large and decayed. There we are 



