68 
MNIOTILTA VARIA. 
Color. Adult male. Above, black, streaked on the back with white. There is a medium and superciliary stripe 
on the head of the same color, which extends down on the neck. The upper tail coverts are edged on the outer 
side with white and the wing coverts are tipped with it, forming bars. Wings, dark brown, edged with white. 
Tail, black, margined on the outer edge with bluish and on the inner with white; the six outer tail feathers are also 
tipped with it. Beneath, white, with the sides of the neck, sides, breast, flanks and under tail coverts, streaked with 
black. Bing around the eye, white. 
Female , similar, but paler, having more white above and less black below. 
Young male, like the female but with the throat, flanks, top of head and back tinged with rufous. 
Young female, similar but very much paler; the streaks beneath becoming nearly obsolete. Irides, bill and feet, 
brown in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Specimens of this species found breeding in the South are characterized by having a longer bill than is possessed 
by more northern individuals. There is no bird with which this might be confounded except, perhaps, the Black 
Polled Warbler to which it bears a very slight resemblance; but it may at once be distinguished from it by the white 
stripes on the head. Distributed throughout Eastern North America, Mexico and the West Indies. Winters in the 
southern section. 
MEASUREMENTS. 
Average dimensions of twenty-seven specimens.— Length, 5-26; stretch, 8-41; wing, 2-51; tail, 1-49; bill, -49; 
tarsus, -64. Longest specimen, 5-50; greatest extent of wings, 9 00; longest wing, 3-00; tail, 215; bill, -58; tarsus, 
•70. Shortest specimen, 5-00; smallest extent of wings, 7-55; shortest wing, 2-60; tail, 1-85; bill, *45; tarsus, ’60. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, usually placed on the ground, composed of mosses, grasses and leaves; lined with fern-cotton, fine 
grasses and hairs. Dimensions : external diameter, 3-50 inches, internal, 1-50; external depth, 2-50 inches, internal, 1. 
Eggs, usually four in number, oval in form, bluish-white in color, spotted and blotched irregularly, but often 
more thickly on the larger end, with lilac and umber. Dimensions, from '70 x -50 to -80 x -55. 
HABITS. 
There is a narrow neck of land lying between Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, which 
varies from a few hundred yards to a mile or more in width. This is principally made up of 
scrub and grassy plains, but there are occasional hummocks along the border of the river. One 
of these patches of woodland is situated just north of a canal, which was excavated for the 
passage of boats, between the two bodies of water. During the Indian war this grove was 
the site of a fort; consequently the ground was tolerably free from underbrush, therefore we 
occupied it for several months in two seasons as a camping ground. The trees which grow 
here were the favorite resort of the Black and White Creepers; indeed I do not remember 
having seen as many in Florida, throughout my entire sojourn in the state, as were to be found 
in that hummock. 
They were migrating, but I never heard them sing excepting in the soft lisping tone, which 
is also used as a note of alarm. Only a few of this species remain in Florida to breed; the 
greater portion pass north for this purpose, arriving in New England during the latter part of 
April, and commence to build about June 1st. The nests are placed by the side of a stone or a 
log or at the foot of a tree, almost always in the woods. Both sexes exhibit considerable 
solicitude when their place of abode is approached, alighting on the tree trunks near and 
uttering sharp cries of distress. 
The Black and White Creepers have, as their name implies, the habit of running up and 
down trees as well as along the under surfaces of limbs after the manner of Nuthatches, their 
short legs and long toes being admirably adapted to this purpose. While in motion they give 
constant utterance to their song which consists of several rapid, shrill notes, ending more 
faintly, however. Some individuals sing longer than others, more especially prolonging the 
terminal portions. They continue to make their voices heard until about the second week in 
July, after which they are silent, and by the middle of September they leave the north, arriving 
in Florida late in October. 
