410 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



726. GertMa familiaris americana (Bonap) [55.] 



Broirn Creeper. 



Hab. Eastern North America, breeding from northern border of United States northward, and in 

 higher mountain districts. 



The little Brown Creeper breeds from the northern border of the 

 United States northward, and is seen in most of its United States 

 range during, the fall, winter, and early spring. A resident through- 

 out New England, but more abundant in the northern portion. Mr. 

 William Brewster has given us the best account of the breeding 

 habits of this bird in the heavy timbered region bordering on I^ake 

 Umbagog, Western Maine.* The nest of the Brown Creeper is built 

 behind loose bark of dead tree-trunks or stumps. All of the nests 

 examined by Mr. Brewster were similar in construction, and the sites 

 chosen were of a uniform character. In every instance the nest was 

 placed in a balsam fir, though spruce, birch, or elm stubs were more 

 numerous. Within the loose scale of bark was crammed a mass of 

 twigs and other rubbish; upon this was the finer bark of various' 

 trees, with an intermixture of a little usnea moss and a number of 

 spiders' cocoons. Mr. Brewster obtained eggs from the 31st of May 

 to June 23. 



The eggs are five to eight in number, white or creatny-whlte, 

 speckled or spotted with hazel or reddish-brown, chiefly at or around 

 the larger end, often in the form of wreaths. A set of six eggs in 

 Mr. Norris' cabinet collected by Mr. Brewster in Oxford county,; 

 Maine, June 5, 1879, exhibits the following sizes: .58X.46, .58X.45, 

 .57 X .45, .57 X .45, .58 X .46, .57 X .46. A set of six taken in Buncombe 

 county. North Carolina, May 2, 1888, measures .59X.45, .58X.46, .57 x 

 .44, .56 X .45, .58 X .45, .58 X .45. Several other sets in the same cabinet 

 show great variation. The average size is .59 x .47. 



726a. GertMa familiaris mexicana (Glog.) [ssa.] 



Mezioaix Creeper. 



Hab. Northern Central America (Guatemala], Mexico, and Southern Arizona. 



No reliable information is at hand regarding the nidification of 

 this Mexican form of the Creeper which is, doubtless, similar to that 

 of C.f. americana. 



** Certhla familiaris montana Ridgw. [ss./ar^.] 



* Koekx Monntain Creeper. 



Hab. Rocky Mountain district, north to Alaska; west to Nevada, etc. Ridgw. 



The nesting and eggs of this are like those of the Brown Creeper 

 of the Eastern States. Prof, Ridgway gives the average size of the 

 eggs as .59 X .46. 



* Cf. Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, IV, pp. 199-209. 



