380 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



4th and 5th quills longest ; tail long, graduated, with the feathers 

 stiff and pointed ; legs short, slender ; toes long, inner toe much 

 shorter than outer ; hind toe long ; claws long, not much curved, 

 slender. 



The Tree-creepers are found in very small numbers both in 

 America and the Old "World, only two being American. The 

 common Tree-creeper of Europe, C. familiaris, is the type of this 

 genus. They creep about the trunks and larger branches of trees 

 with gi'eat facility, and feed on insects, especially on beetles and 

 spiders, which they find in the crevices of the bark. They 

 nidificate in holes in trees, making their nests with twigs and grass, 

 and lined with wool and feathers. They lay numerous eggs, 

 from 6 to 0, and they are said to have a pleasing song. In India 

 they are entirely confined to the Himalayan region. 



243. Certhia himalayana, Vigors. 



p. Z. S., 1831— Blyth, Cat. 1133— Horsf., Cat. 1043— Gould, 

 Birds of Asia, pi. — C. Asiatica, Swains. 



The Himalayan Tree-creeper. 



Descr. — Above, dark brown, each feather centred with pale 

 earthy olive-brown ; some of the feathers of the rump and upper 

 tail-coverts ferruginous at the tip ; the greater coverts ferruginous 

 at the base, then dusky black, with a light spot ; quills brown, 

 faintly barred on tlie outer web for half the length, and a broad 

 fulvous bar on the inner web ; tail light brown, barred closely and 

 numerously with dusky brown ; beneath albescent, tinged with 

 pale earthy-brown on the abdomen and flanks. 



Bill blackish ; legs brown-black ; irides brown. Length 5| 

 inches ; wing 2| ; tail 2f ; bill at front f to \^ ; foot If. 



The tail is rather short ; the middle feathers being slightly 

 pointed, and the laterals very narrow. 



This Tree-creeper has only been found in the North-western 

 Himalayas. Adams states that it is pretty common In the woods and 

 forests of the lesser ranges, and in Cashmere. 



