BLACK AND WHITE CREEPER. 
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trees from destructive insects; though it cannot serenade him 
with its song. 
The length of this species is five inches and a half, extent 
seven and a half; crown white, bordered on each side with a 
hand of black, which is again bounded by a line of white passing 
over each eye, below this is a large spot of black covering the 
ear feathers; chin and throat black; wings the same, crossed 
transversely by two bars of white; breast and back streaked with 
black and white; tail, upper and also under coverts, black, edged 
and bordered with white; belly white; legs and feet dirty yel- 
low; hind claw the longest, and all very sharp pointed; bill a 
little compressed sidewise, slightly curved, black above, paler 
below; tongue long, fine-pointed, and horny at the extremity. 
These last circumstances, joined to its manners, characterize it, 
decisively, as a Creeper. 
The female and young birds of the first year want the black 
on the throat, having that part of a grayish white. 
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