On Birds observed in Amelia County, Virginia. 69 



whicli it had caught, and to eat which at its leisure, it had flown 

 to a tree on which the nuthatch was searching for insects. 



SiTTA CANADENSIS (Linn.) Red-helUed Futhatch. — On the 

 10th of January, during some ver^^ cold weather, with snow on 

 the ground and the thermometer below zero, I noticed a pair of 

 small nuthatches, whose cry was not familiar to me, fly across the 

 road and light on a tree behind me. I followed them, and easily 

 approached within a few feet. They remained for some time 

 running over the boughs close above my head, and almost within 

 reach, and were easily identified as the present species ; but hav- 

 ing no gun I was unable to secure one. This is the only occasion 

 on which I have met this bird in Virginia. 



Ceetiiia familiaris (Linn.) Broiun Creeper. — This is a winter 

 visitor, and generally arrives rather late. I have never noticed 

 it before the 22nd of December, nor have I seen it after the 5th 

 of April. It is a solitary bird, being generally found singly, 

 though sometimes in pairs. It is not very common, and seems 

 to prefer large tracts of timber, to the trees round the homestead. 



Troglodytes ludovicianus (Bonap.) Carolina Wren. — It is 

 very common all the year, and does not seem to migrate even 

 locally. Its song of" dear- wife, dear-wife," may be heard at almost 

 any season of the year, on a fine day, from the upper twigs of a heap 

 of brushwood, into which it dives as soon as you appear. It is a 

 familiar, fussy little bird, in habits and manner very like our 

 own wren. It generally hatches out its large family very early, 

 and they are probably the first young birds one sees in the 

 spring. 



Troglodytes aedon (Vieill.) House Wren. — In appearance it 

 reminds me more of the European bird, than any other of the 

 Virginia wrens do. I have only noticed it in summer, when 

 breeding, during which time it always remains about the home- 

 stead. Its song is good, and very sweet, and it is protected by 

 law. 



Troglodytes parvulus var. hyemalis (Vieill.) WinterWren. 

 — This little bird comes to Virginia for the cold months of the 

 year, and I have not found it very common, and always singly 

 Though not a shy bird, it is not as fond of human society as the 

 two preceding species, and is seldom seen near the house, but 

 prefers the wild forest, or the timber and brushwood growing by 



