182 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



Certhia familiaeis rufa (Bartr.) Brown Tree-creeper. — 

 A -wiiiter visitor in small numbers to the open wooded districts 

 and creeks, especially affecting those wherein there is abun- 

 dance of cedar; in such places they may occasionally be met 

 with between the months of November and March inclusive, 

 accompanying the wandering parties of Paridce, Reguli, and 

 Dendrcecce, which at that season enliven the woods with their 

 presence. It is rare, however, to see more than a pair of creepers 

 with each band; in fact, they seem to prefer the presence of 

 other birds to that of their own species. This, however, is not 

 always the case, since on March 6th I saw a flock of these birds, 

 consisting of more than twenty individuals, and totally unaccom- 

 panied by any other species. In habits they resemble the 

 European form, like that bird feeding upon small insects, which 

 they find concealed in the crevices of the bark ; alighting almost 

 always near the root of the tree, they run quickly up the boll, 

 usually, when undisturbed, in a spiral direction, and having thus 

 ascended the main trunk until beyond the insertion of the larger 

 branches, they take flight to the foot of the next tree, and there 

 resume their operations ; if, however, they should find themselves 

 followed, they keep circumspectly upon the opposite side of the 

 tree from the pursuer, only glancing cautiously round now and. 

 then to prevent too near an approach ; they are, in fact, at all 

 times wary, and display considerable prudence and knowledge of 

 danger. 



Thryothorus ludovicianus (Gmel.) Carolina Wren. — This 

 handsome and sprightly wren is resident, but nowhere abundant, 

 in our district, frequenting the wooded parts, where it delights to 

 creep about among thick underbrush and the decaying tops of 

 fallen trees, among which it is exceedingly difficult to obtain, as 

 it keeps carefully on the side remote from danger. They never 

 fly far at a stretch, moving, when compelled, by several short 

 flights, and are, from choice, very sedentary in their habits, 

 seldom moving away from their chosen haunts ; nor do they ever 

 rise by flying into the branches of trees, though occasionally they 

 climb thither up the trunk like a creeper. Except during the 

 latter part of the summer, when the young, of which they have 

 at least two broods annually, have not yet left them, they are 

 usually found in pairs, and show great afiection for one another, 



