Lhe Tree-creeper. 55 
| very strong and wiry, aid greatly in steadying its move- 
ments. 
The Tree-creeper does not show much fear at the 
presence of man; if he is a few yards on one side, it 
may keep more on the other side, taking frequent _ 
peeps at him, and if alarmed, will only fly to another 
tree or some other object close by. I have found this 
bird’s nest in May; it builds in small holes of trees . 
pollard trees may be said to be very favourite places, 
or the spaces between very rough bark. Another 
favourite spot is where the bark has been split and 
Sepataved from the body of the tree by lightning, 
leaving a vacancy between that and the wood. Its 
nest is composed of twigs, small pieces of bark, and 
other coarse materials, lined with wool and other warm 
substances. The number of eggs laid by this bird 
varies from five to nine. The Tree-creeper is a solitary 
- bird, and is but rarely seen with others of its kind, 
| except in the spring, and, even then it is more often 
. seen singly performing its creeping, which it does from 
morning until night. 

