TREE CREEPER, 



proper time, they are headed by the parent birds, who feed 

 them constantly, and teach them the manner of obtaining 

 their food, until they are able to shift for themselves. Where 

 a person can have the opportunity of observing the happy 

 little family under these latter circumstances unseen, their 

 actions are well worthy of watching. 



The Tree Creeper is one of the smallest of British birds, 

 measuring, from the tip of the beak to the extremity of the 

 perfect full-grown tail, from five to five inches and a quarter. 

 The beak is long, narrow, and slightly curved, very sharp- 

 pointed, much compressed towards the tip, and sharply 

 ridged on the upper mandible, which is also somewhat larger 

 than the under one. In colour the upper mandible and 

 tip of the lower are dusky, the rest of a dull yellowish 

 white. The length of the beak varies in old birds from six 

 lines and a half to ten lines, and at the root it is one line 

 and a half broad, and the same in thickness. The nostril is a 

 small slit in the fleshy part of the head at the upper base of 

 the beak. The tongue is narrow and horny towards the tip, 

 which seems divided into threads, and consequently is unfit 

 for spearing insects. The iris is small, and of a clear brown 

 colour. The legs and toes are well proportioned to the size 

 of the bird ; but the claws are very long and curved, of 

 a pale yellowish brown tinged with pale flesh-red. The tarsi 

 measure seven lines and a half; the middle toe without the 

 claw five lines and a half ; the hinder toe is four lines long ; 

 the claw of the former being about four lines in length, and 

 of the latter from six to seven lines. 



The feathering is as follows : the spaces between the beak 

 and the eyes are brownish ash-colour ; a white band runs over 

 each eye, and terminates at the side of the nape in a white 

 spot ; from the eye to the ear runs a dusky streak ; the 

 cheeks, brownish ash spotted with white ; the top of the head, 

 dull dusky, intermixed with ochre, yellow, and dull white drop- 



