loofe, being formed of dry grafs and the fibrous parts of the 

 decayed bark of trees, and lined with feathers ; it lays from- 

 five to feven white eggs, finely freckled with bright rufous 

 fpots : during the time the female is fitting me is conftantly 

 fed by the male, who is alfo the principal provider to the 

 young brood ; when the. female quits the neft, the male takes 

 his ftation as guard, but we do not remember to have feen it 

 on the neft ; its note at this feafon is a weak chirp, or rather 

 fqueak, which it utters in a very flow manner ; as the year 

 advances it lofes its note, and during autumn and winter it 

 is quite filent. 



From the facility with which this lively little bird runs/- up* 

 and down the trunks and branches of trees; it efcapes general 

 observation^ the more fo as the inftant it perceives any one to 

 make a ftand, it runs to the oppofite fide of the tree and" will, 

 continue running round as long as its motions are watched, , 

 but if the attention appears to be occupied by other objects,, 

 it does not feem intimidated by the intrufion, but purfues its 

 fearch after ants and other fmall infects, which in fummer con- 

 ftitute the whole of its food ; in winter, it induftrioufly fearches 

 for the eggs and larva; of infects, fecreted in the crevices of the 

 bark or among the mofs and lichens that abound on moft trees 

 at that feafon of the year. ; it is frequently to be obferved 

 during a fall of fnow Searching the underfide of the branches,, 

 nor does it feem at all affected by the moft intenfe cold. 



Having obferved in the vicinity of the neft fmall pellets 

 compofed of the indigestible parts of ants and the fmaller kinds 

 of beetles, we think it moft probable this fpecies cafts in the 

 manner of the hawk tribe. 



