THE TREE-CP.EEPER. 345 



is not uncommon in the wooded parts of the county of Wexford, 

 adding, that " in climbing, it presses its tail very closely against 

 the trees, so that it looks like a moving excrescence of the bark." 



Such of these birds as have come under my observation, though 

 apparently aware of my presence, never exhibited any shyness, 

 but admitted of a near approach, when it was extremely interesting 

 to observe the regular, quick, and business-like manner in which 

 they searched for their food. Now one would appear moving in a 

 straight line up the trunks of the largest pines, from near the base 

 until attaining the summit; then would be seen ascending 

 the next tree, by spirally winding round it, the effect being 

 much heightened by its breast appearing of a silvery whiteness, 

 in contrast with the dark-coloured bark. I was once amused 

 in Colin Glen by observing two of these birds for a long 

 time advancing through the plantation and evidently considering 

 themselves companions, though they were never nearer to each 

 other than the stems of neighbouring trees. Each left its tree 

 about the same moment to fly onwards to another, so that both 

 were to be seen at one view, scanning the bark of a tree on either 

 hand, beginning at the bottom and ascending in the usual 

 manner. 



Mr. R. Ball has "known the creeper to be captured by boys 

 getting to the opposite side of a tree at the base of which it com- 

 menced feeding, and making a random stroke with a cap or hat, 

 at the place they supposed it had reached in its upward move- 

 ment." On the 4th of June, 1842, Mr. Thomas Garrett brought 

 me a specimen of the creeper which he had just killed with a 

 stone at Cultra, near Belfast. He remarked, that on being alarmed 

 by a stone striking the tree near to it, the bird clings closely 

 to the bark and remains motionless as if dead, not flying off until 

 the hand is all but laid upon it. He, to-day, found a nest of 

 young creepers at this locality, built in an old spout. In the 

 stomach of the specimen, I found the remains of insects, and the 

 husk of a pine seed, thus proving, that in summer, — and the 

 weather has been remarkably fine and warm for some time, — vege- 

 table food is taken. This species is generally stated by authors to 



