THE NUTHATCH. 
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clinging. It also takes advantage of the uniform brown tint of its back to conceal itself from 
a real or fancied foe, by clinging closely to the tree and pressing itself so flatly into some 
crevice, that a human eye can scarcely distinguish it from the bark. The Creeper does not 
confine itself exclusively to trees, but has often been seen running up old walls, and seeking 
for the insects that are always to be found in such localities. 
The nest of the Creeper is usually made in the hollow of some decaying tree, and is 
made of grasses, leaves, and vegetable fibres, and lined with feathers. The eggs are very 
small, about seven or eight in number, and of an ashen-gray color, sprinkled with little 
gray -brown spots. Sometimes it builds in the hole of an old wall, and has been known to 
make its nest in a disused spout. 
The Beown Ceeepeb ( Certhia familiaris) is identical with the English bird above 
described. Two quite distinct varieties are recognized, one inhabiting Mexico. 
The Brown Creeper is common throughout the year in New England. It is found in very 
high latitudes. During the winter months it approaches human habitations, delighting in 
orchards, where the trees afford more or less sustenance in the worms and larva; that infest 
them. 
The Wall-Ceeepee is a native of central and southern Europe, and is found plentifully 
in all suitable localities. It is called the Wall-Creeper because it frequents walls and perpen- 
dicular rocks in preference to tree -trunks. 
In its movements it does not resemble the common Creeper ; for, instead of running over 
the walls with a quick and even step, it flies from point to point with little jerking movements 
of the wing, and when it has explored the spot on which it has alighted, takes flight for 
another. The food of this bird is similar to that of the common Creeper, but it is especially 
fond of spiders and their eggs, finding them plentifully in the localities which it frequents. 
Old ruined castles are favorite places of resort for this bird, as are also the precipitous faces of 
rugged rocks. 
The nest of the Wall-Creeper is made in the cleft of some lofty rock, or in one of the many 
holes which are so plentifully found in the old ruined edifices which it so loves. 
In color the Wall-Creeper is a very pretty bird, the general color of the plumage being 
light gray, relieved by a patch of bright crimson upon the shoulders, the larger wing-coverts, 
and the inner webs of the secondaries. The remainder of the quill-feathers of the wing are 
black, and the tail is black tipped with white. It is a much larger bird than the Common 
Tree-Creeper, measuring about six inches in total length. 
Theee is a curious genus of the Creeping-bird, known by the name of Climacteeis. All 
the members of this genus are inhabitants of Australia, and notices of the individual species 
may be seen in Mr. Grould’ s well-known work on the birds of that country. They are gener- 
ally found upon the tall gum-trees, traversing their rugged bark with great rapidity, and 
probing the crevices in search of insects, after the manner of the Common Creeper. They do 
not confine themselves to the bark, but may often be seen running into the “spouts,” or 
hollow branches, which are so often found in the gum-trees, and hunting out the various 
nocturnal insects which take refuge in these dark recesses during the hours of daylight. 
The Nuthatches form another group of the Certhkhe, and are represented in Europe by 
the common Nuthatch of our woods. They are all remarkable for their peculiarly stout and 
sturdy build, their strong, pointed, cylindrical beaks, and their very short tails. 
The Nuthatch, although by no means a rare bird, is seldom seen except by those who are 
acquainted with its haunts, on account of its shy and retiring habits. As it feeds mostly on 
nuts, it is seldom seen except in woods or their immediate vicinity, although it will sometimes 
become rather bold, and frequent gardens and orchards where nuts are grown. The bird also 
feeds upon insects, which it procures from under the bark after the manner of the creepers, 
and it is not unlikely that many of the nuts which are eaten by the Nuthatch have been 
