BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER, OR CREEPER. 385 
Union a month later, so that it does not appear to be 
much affected by the commencement of frost, and proba- 
bly, at this season, occasionally feeds on berries. As 
they are observed round Vera Cruz towards the com- 
mencement of winter, and are described as inhabiting 
the West India islands, it is probable they wholly pass 
the extremity of the winter beyond the southern boun- 
dary of the United States. 
Like the Creepers and Nuthatches, this species is 
seldom seen to perch upon the branches of trees, but 
creeps spirally around the trunk and larger boughs up 
and down, in quest of insects which alight upon or hide 
within the crevices of the bark. In this employment they 
display all the dexterity of the more regular climbers. 
For this purpose the hind toe is rather stout, and extends 
backward so as to balance with the rest of the anterior 
part of the foot, and allow a motion like that of the 
Creepers, from which genus they are, at the same time, 
wholly distinct. 
At the period of nesting the male scrapes out a little 
monotonous ditty in recognition of his mate, resembling 
somewhat the syllables te tshe tshe tshe tsh’ tshete , pro- 
ceeding from high to low, in a tolerably strong and 
shrill, but somewhat filing tone. As the season of incu- 
bation advances, this note, however, becomes more mel- 
low and warbling, and, though feeble, is very pleasing, 
bearing at this time some resemblance to that of the Red- 
start ( Sylvania ruticilla.) This song is like the ascend- 
ing call of ’twee ’twee ’twee ’twee ’tweet. At the romantic 
estate of the Cold Spring place in Roxbury, the proprie- 
tor, Mr. Newman, pointed out to me the nest of this 
bird, which, on the 27th of June, contained 4 young 
about a week old. Other birds of this species, I had 
seen fledged this year about the 17th of the same month, 
33 
