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 fne 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 fiient. 
From the facility with which this lively little bird runs iip^ 
and down the trunks and branches of trees, it efcapes general 
obfervation, 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 ar^ 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 fmali infers, which in fummer con- 
ftitute the whole of its food ; in winter, it induftrioufly fearches 
for the eggs and larvs of infeds^ 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 fcarching the underfide of the branches, 
nor does it feem at all afFeded by the moft intenfe cold. 
Having obferved in the vicinity of the neft fmall pellets 
compofed of the indigeftible parts of ants and the fmaller kinds 
of beetles, we think it moil: probable this fpecies cafts in the 
manner of the hawk tribe. 
