23 



BLACK AND WHITE CREEPER. 

 CERTHIA MACULATA. 

 [Plate XIX.— Fig. 3.] 



Edwards, pi. 300. — White poll Warbler, Arct, Zool. 402. JVo. 293. — Le Figuier varie, 

 Burr. V, 305.— Lath. II. 488.— Turton, I. p. 603.— Peale's Museum, JVo. 7092. 



THIS nimble and expert little species seldom perches on thje 

 small twigs ; but circumambulates the trunk, and larger branches, 

 in quest of ants and other insects, with admirable dexterity. It ar- 

 rives in Pennsylvania, from the south, about the twentieth of April, 

 the young begin to fly early in July; and the whole tribe abandon 

 the country about the beginning of October. Sloane describes this 

 bird as an inhabitant of the West India islands, where it probably 

 winters. It was first figured by Edwards from a dried skin sent 

 him by Mr. William Bartram, who gave it its present name. Suc- 

 ceeding naturalists have classed it with the warblers ; a mistake 

 which I have endeavoured to rectify. 



The genus of Creepers comprehends about thirty different spe- 

 cies, many of which are richly adorned with gorgeous plumage; but, 

 like their congenial tribe the Woodpeckers, few of them excel in 

 song; their tongues seem better calculated for extracting noxious 

 insects from the bark of trees, than for trilling out sprightly airs; 

 as the hardened hands of the husbandman are better suited for 

 clearing the forest or guiding the plough, than dancing among 

 the keys of a forte-piano. Which of the two is the most honora- 

 ble and useful employment is not difficult to determine. Let the 

 farmer, therefore, respect this little bird for its useful qualities, in 

 clearing his fruit and forest trees from destructive insects; tho it 

 cannot serenade him with its song. 



