128 NORTH AMEKICAN 15IRDS. 



with a pistol loa.led with the finest shot. Its mate couhl have been secured 

 as she persisted in pursuing them, hut she was not molested. Throu-dio,,; 

 there was not a trace of timidity on the part of either hinl, hut the most 

 reckless and daiuiig devotion. 



Jfesides the single cull-note or the sharp outcry with which the Creepers 

 signahze then- movements, an.l which they utter from time to tin.e as they 

 rapnlly ami busdy n.ove up and ,lown the trunks and limbs, or flit from tree 



he fact 1 he care ul observations of Mr. William P.rewster of Cambrid-.e 

 have .satisfied lum that these birds have a very distinct and varied .son. D^r- 

 ing the winter these birds are not uncommon in the vicinity of Hostonrcomin^ 

 al>out the houses with all the tameness and confidence of the P.n,s ntrical 

 lus, and pernut a very near approach. They are very easily attracted by .sus- 

 pending from a piazza a piece of fat meat. Mr. Brewster has observed them 

 commence smgnig as early as the 14th of March. Their notes are varied 

 and warbling and somewhat confused; some of them are loud, powerful and 

 suri.as..ii.gly sweet, others are more feeble and plaintive; their .song u.sually 

 eml.s wit^i then- accustomed cry, which may be represented by le^. 

 ere-ep. Mr. Lrewster, besides repeate.Uy hearing them sing in Massachusetts 

 m the early spring, has also listened to their song in Maine in the roiXof 



Their eggs are small in proportion to the size of the bird, are nearly oval 



edtT; n 1?™'''''""'''' ground, sparingly sprinkled with smalJ, fine, 

 red and reddish-brown spots. They measure .55 by .4.S of an inch. 



Certhia famiUaris, var. mexicana, (ii.oa. 



MEXICAN CBEEFEB. 



Certhia nicTicana, "Glooek, Handbuch." RE.rnKNn.v,,,, Hnndbuoh, I, 18.53 265 „1 

 dlxn, ,.,s. 3841, .3842.-Sn,.ATKn. P. Z. S. 1856, 290; 1858, 297 ; 1859, '3S, 3 2 

 --SU.VI.V. ,1,„, i8fi,i, 190 (Volcan do Fuo..,. Cat.). - Ba„>i., Birds N.Am. 18.58 

 6,i (undor C. amencamt), pi. Ixxxiii, fig. 2 ; Review, 90. 



Sr. Char Gronnd-color ul.ovo vory dark sopin-brown, each feather with a .sharply 



ofinerl ,„..d,al .troak of p:rayi..h-white, these streaks beoou.ing broader posteriorly wherl 



they are discontinued at the l,o.in„inf, of the rump. Whole rump and upper tai -'covert.. 



ches nut-ru OU.S. Beneatl, pale ashy, hecon.ing almost white on ti.e throat; crissal fe.nth- 



ers deep ochrnceous except at the tips, which are whitish. Markings of the winffs as 



hh^dafJ^ir""'' ^''''' ''""'^"^^ '"'"- '•''' '""' -•'"' ''' C'"-" "-'n-l),'.48'; 

 UnTttdSt^t'e?'"*'''' ""'' ^^'''''°' '"■"''"^'^ "''''"'^'"^ "'""" "'•' tab>e-lands into ti,e 



This is one of the best marked of the various races that have been dis- 

 cussed (see p. 124). The ground-color of the upper parts is altogether darker 

 than m any of the others, and the streaks are more sharply defined and nar- 



