190 
HABITS OF THE TREE-CREEPER . 
eagerness, and its little black eyes glancing with the exuberance of its delight. While run- 
ning on the side of the tree which is nearest to the spectator, it presents a very curious appear- 
ance, as its dark-brown back and quick tripping movements give it a great resemblance to 
a mouse, and ever and anon, as it comes again into sight from the opposite side of the trunk, 
its beautifully white breast gleams suddenly in contrast with the sombre-colored bark. Its 
eyes are wonderfully keen, as it will discern insects of so minute a form that the human eye 
can hardly perceive them, and it seems to possess some instinctive mode of detecting the 
presence of its insect prey beneath moss or lichens, and will perseveringly bore through the 
substance in which they are hidden, never failing to secure them at last. 
The Creeper is a very timid bird, and if it is alarmed at the sight of a human being, it will 
either fly off to a distant 
tree, or will quietly slip 
round the trunk of the 
tree on which it is run- 
ning, and keep itself 
carefully out of sight. 
It soon, however, gains 
confidence, and, pro- 
vided that the spectator 
remains perfectly quiet, 
the little head and white 
breast may soon be seen 
peering anxiously round 
the trunk, and in a few 
minutes the bird will re- 
sume its progress upon 
the tree, and run cheer- 
ily up the bark, accom- 
panying itself with its 
faint trilling song. It 
seldom attempts a long 
flight, seeming to con- 
tent itself with flitting 
from tree to tree. 
Although so timid a bird, the Creeper soon becomes familiarized with those whom it 
is accustomed to see, provided that they treat it kindly, and will even come to receive food 
from their hands. In one instance that has come to my knowledge, the little birds were seen 
to frequent the patches of gum that exude from the bark of several trees, and in one spot 
where a number of small branches united, so as to form a kind of cup or hollow, a little heap 
of gum was found, which seemed to have been placed there by the Creepers, as they were 
constantly seen haunting the spot. Feeling sure that the birds fed upon the gum, the specta- 
tors used to supply their larder not only with gum, but with crumbs of bread, different seeds, 
and little morsels of raw meat, which disappeared as regularly as they were provided. 
Some persons have supposed that in climbing the trees it uses its beak, after the manner 
of the parrots and other climbing birds. This, however, is not the case, as the beak is only 
employed for the purpose of probing the bark, and the whole progression is achieved by means 
of the long, curved, and sharply -pointed claws, which retain their hold so firmly, that I have 
seen a Creeper hang by its claws after it had been shot, and remain firmly fixed to the bark 
long after life had fled. 
The Creeper is a very nervous bird, and may be temporarily paralyzed by a smart blow 
given to the tree or branch on which it is running. Expert bird-catching boys will often 
secure this bird by flinging a stone or heavy stick at the tree, and then pouncing on the bird 
before it has recovered from its alarm. It can even be struck from its hold by suddenly 
running ronnd the tree, and delivering a sharp blow upon the part of the trunk on which it is 
COMMON TKEE-CREEPER. — Certhia familiaris. 
