Certhia faiuiliaris fusca . 

 Carabr idf^e , Mass. January birds in the Garden. 



1899. him in the least. 

 January. The Broivn Creeper while ascending the trunk of a tree 



(No. 2) ordinarily carries his tail nearly in a line v/ith his body but 

 with the spiny tips of the rectrices pressed lightly against 

 the bark. Occasionally, however, the tail is jerked sharply 

 outward and upward at each upward hop. This notion always 

 accoiuijanies the act of voiding the excrement. 



At about 9 A.M. on the morning of the 9th a Creeper in 

 one of our apple trees gave the full spring song twice in 

 quick succession but in rather subdued tones. The weather, 

 at the time, was raild with a fine rain falling. 



February birds in the Garden. 

 A single Creeper seen on the l?th, 20th and 21st. On 

 February, the 26th tv/o birds appeared together in the elm over the 



drive'way. One of them did something which I have never be- 

 fore seen nor even, I thiijk, heard oT. He was ascexiding the 

 trunk of the tree and had just passed the base of the branch 

 on which the suet hangs when a Sparrow that had been feeding 

 at the suet flew away. Tlie Creeper at once turned about and 

 descended the vertical tr'unk for a distance of nearly two 

 feet, moving head downward , like a Nuthatch, and with perfect 

 apparent ease, although rather slowly and cautiously. On 

 reaching the branch he followed it iJut to the suet vvhich he 



