384 DIVISION I. VEF.TEBRAL ANIMALS. —CLASS II. AVES. 



over two hundred thousand eggs alone of noxious insects in the course of a 

 year. Tliat one small bird is thus able to acconiplisli so much good in 

 destroying tliese myriads of vermin, is an appeal to tlie good sense of the 

 farmer for tlie jx'otectiim of tlio whole class, that slmuid ni)t be sliglitcd. 



There are several other species of American Titmice, among which are 

 the great Carolina, tiie Hudson's Bay, tlie Crested, and the Tufted Titmice. 

 Among the European species tiie most interesting is the bottle-tit, (ir Long- 

 tailed Tanner. Its nest is bottle-shaped, and is thus described by Pennant. 

 "Tlie nest of this species is another example of ingenious construction, 

 combining beauty of appearance with security and warmth. In siiape it is 

 nearly oval, with one small Imle in the iqiper part of the side l)y whicli tlie 

 bird enters. I have never seen more than one hole. The outside of the 

 nest sparkles with silvcr-cohired lichens adhering to a firm texture of moss 

 and wool, the inside profusely lined with soft feathers. Tlie nest is gener- 

 ally placed in the middle of a thick bush, and is so firmly fixed that it is 

 mostly found necessary to cut out the portion of the bush containing it. 

 In this species the female is known to be the nest-maker, and to liave been 

 occupied lor a fortnight to three weeks in C()m[ileting her haljitation. She 

 deposits from ten to twelve eggs, wdiich are small and white, with a few 

 jiale I'ed specks. The 3'onng family of the year keep company with their 

 parent birds during their first autumn and winter. 



The CcrlhiiKr, or Creepers, arc also well represented in different portions 

 of the globe. In their numljcrs are placed, by Lilljeborg's system, the true 

 creepers and the nuthatches. They are all adapted liy the structure of their 

 larire feet and stronir claws, for climbinir the trunks and limbs of lar£re trees, 

 or the face of rocks, in quest of insect food. In general the beak is curved 

 and elongated ; most often it is moderate and strong. 



Our American Creeper [C'crlliid ^Ijiicricdi/a ) , and the Common Creeper 

 (Ccrthiii Jaiiiil/'ari'sj of Kurope, are of similar habits. They are active, 

 fearless little birds, frequenting groves and orcliards, where they are observed 

 spirally ascending the stems of trees like mice, using the sharp shafts of their 

 tail-feathers as props, or aids, to their ascent. If watched, they will be 

 seen to probe with their slender liills the chinks and crevices of the bark, 

 whence tjiey extract the lurking vermin. ILn ing finished their examination 

 of one tree, which is quickly accomplished, they do not descend, but by a 

 quick tlight they pass to another tree, and quickly examine it, ascending as 

 before in a spiral manner. Their note is weak and unmusical, and is fre- 

 quently repeated, especially during flight frcmi tree to tree, or while station- 

 ary. The nest is built in a hollow limb of a tree, in a deserted nest of a 

 woodpecker or squirrel, or a hole in a fence post. Usually the locality is 

 chosen in the deep woods, and seldom near dwellings, or in the orchards. 



