7©o C R E E P E Ro. 



ncBaria of flowers. Lefs confequential differences might be likewife 

 added, were it neceflary. 



The fhape of the tongue, in birds of the Creeper kind, is various j 

 l n fome of them it is fhort and pointed, and fuch birds may be 

 fuppofed to feed wholly on infefts ; in others it is longer, and 

 flatted at the point : in feveral it is ciliated, or furnifhed with 

 minute hairs on the fides ; and again, in not a few, it appears to be 

 tubular, and bifid at the end, exactly like the fame organ in 

 Humming-Birds ; thofe fo provided, no doubt, enjoy a double 

 method of furnilhing themfelves with food, the one by means of 

 the bill, as in other birds ; the other by extracting honey from 

 Flowers ; and are, no doubt,.of a middle nature between the prefent 

 and next genus : thefe perhaps will, by fome future fyftematift, 

 be thrown into a genus by themfelves ; but this can by no means 

 happen till they are fully known. 



It is very poffible that many of the following, which are now 

 defcribed as /pedes, will be found hereafter to be mere varieties;. 

 which is no wonder, as we are well affured that many Creepers do 

 jiot gain their full plumage till, the third year's moult.. 



eerthiai 



