SPECIES 2. CERTHM MJiCULATJi. 
BLACK AND WHITE CREEPER. 
[Plate XIX. — Fig. 3.] 
Edwards, fl. 300. — White poll Warbler, Jlrct. Zool. 402. JVo. 
293. — Lefigider vari^, Buff, v, 305. — Lath. ii,488. — Turton, 
I, p. 603. — Peale’s Museum, JVo. 7092. 
This nimble and expert little species seldom perches on the 
small twigs; but circumambulates the trunk, and larger branches, 
in quest of ants and other insects, with admirable dexterity. It 
arrives 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. Succeeding naturalists have classed it with 
the warblers; a mistake which I have endeavoured to rectify. 
The genus of Creepers comprehends about thirty different 
species, many of which are richly adorned with gorgeous plu- 
mage; 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 tril- 
ling out sprightly airs; as the hardened hands of the husband- 
man 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 honourable 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 
* Linnaeus placed tliis bird in his genus Motacilla, and Latliam arranged it 
in Sylvia. It does not belong to the genus Certhia as at present resti-icted. 
