BROWN CREEPER. DIN 
CERTHIA FAMILIARIS L 
Wrown Creeper. 
Certhia familiaris, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv , 1833, 164.—READ, Proc. Philad. Acad. 
Nat. Sci., vi, 1853, 395.—WHEATON, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874 
(1875), 563; Reprint, 3.— LANGDON, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 4. 
Certhia americana, WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860 (1861), 365 ; Reprint, 7 
Certhia familiaris var. americana, LANGDON, Rev. List, Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist , i, 1879, 
170; Reprint, 4. 
Certhia familiaris, LINNAUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1758, 118. 
Certhia americana, BONAP. Geog. and Comp. List, 1838, 11. 
Certhia familiaris var. americana, RipGway, Bull. Ess. Iost., v, 1873, 1&0. 
Plumage above singularly barred with dusky, whitish, tawny, or fulvous brown, and 
bright brown—latter chiefly on the ramp; below, whiie, either pure or soiled, and gen- 
erally brownish-washed behind; wings dusky, oddly varied with tawny or whitish bars 
and spots; tail plain; about 54; wing and tail about 23. 
Habitat, temperate North America, in wooded regions. 
Common migrant and winter resident; most abundant during its 
migrations in April and October. This curious bird seems to mimic in 
its mottled dull colors the bark of the forest trees on which it secures its 
food. In the proper season it may be seen in the company of Titmice, 
Nuthatches, and Woodpeckers, creeping up and around the trunks of 
trees, seldom upon the branches. Its progress is always upward or cir- 
cling, like that of the Woodpecker, with which i: is brought in close af- 
finity by its stiffened tail. It is an active, restless bird, and while climb- 
ing often repeats a peculiar, monotonous note, which bears some resem- 
blance to that of the Kinglets. At their breeding places Mr. William 
Brewster has discovered that “their notes are varied and warbling, and 
somewhat confused; some of them are loud, powerful, and surpassingly 
sweet, others are more feeble and plaintive. Their song usually ehds 
with their accustomed cry, which may be represented by cree cree-cre-ep.” 
During its stay with us, it often visits the city in company with its 
creeping cousins, the Nuthatches. At such times it shares with these 
birds that fearlessness of man, characteristic of many of our small birds 
that attend strictly to their own affairs. 
The Creeper breeds north of the limits of this State, doubtfully in 
Northeastern Ohio. It selects for its nesting place a natural cavity in 
or on a tree, or a deserted Woodpecker’s nest, which it lines with grasses 
lichens and feathers. The compliment of eggs is said to vary from five 
to nine. They are white, rather sparsely sprinkled with reddish brown 
dots, and measure .55 by .44 inch. 
Some ornithologists claim a constant difference between the Ameri- 
can and Huropean Creeper, which accounts for the different synonyms 
given above. 
