Another very small group ol 
the Creepers is represented by the 
Curved-billed Creeper, a bird 
about the size of an English black- 
bird, which is found in the forests 
of Brazil. 
It is chiefly remarkable from 
the curiously-formed beak, which 
is very long in proportion to the 
size of the bird, and is curved in 
a manner that can best be under- 
stood by reference to the engrav- 
ing. The bill, although so much 
elongated, is possessed of con- 
siderable strength, and is evident- 
ly employed for the purpose of 
drawing the insects on which the 
creature feeds from the crevices 
of the bark in which they 
dwell. 
As is indicated by the stiff and 
sharply-pointed feathers of the 
tail, the Curved-billed Creeper is 
in the habit of traversing the 
trunks of trees, and is able to 
support itself in a perpendicular 
position by hooking its long curved 
claws into the inequalities of the 
bark, and resting the weight 
of its body upon the stiff tail 
feathers. 
The general colour of this bird 
is brown, with a wash of cinna- 
mon upon the greater part of 
of the surface. The head and 
neck are of a greyer brown, and 
spotted with white 
CURVED-BILLED CREEPER. 
Dendrocolaptes procurvus. 
77 
