Genus CERTHIA, JU.

Gen. Cuar. Bill of mean length, curved, triangular, compressed, slender, and sharp-pointed.
Tongue short. Nostrils basal, pierced horizontally, naked, and partly covered by an
arched membrane. Feet with three toes before and one behind, which last is strong, and
longer than the middle toe; the outer toe united at its base to the middle one. Tail
wedge-shaped, composed of twelve stiff, sharp-pointed, and deflected feathers. Wings
having the first quill short, and the second and third shorter than the fourth, which te

the longest of all.

COMMON CREEPER.

Certhia familiaris, Lznn.

Le Grimpereau.

Tue genus Certha as now restricted will contain but two species, the bird here figured (which is the only
one hitherto discovered in Europe), and one from the Himalaya mountains, characterized some years since
by Mr. Vigors under the name of Certhia Himalayana. This new species bears a strong resemblance to its
European congener, from which it may be distinguished by the markings of brown across the tail-feathers ; it
is also a trifle larger.

The Common Creeper appears to be very generally dispersed over the whole of the Continent, but ac-
cording to M. Temminck ‘t becomes more rare as we approach the northern parts of Russia and Siberia ;
which may be reasonably accounted for, by the diminished number of insects in all high latitudes.

It is a stationary species in the British Islands, where it is very generally dispersed, but is of course more
plentiful in the neighbourhood of wooded districts, plantations, &c. It also frequents gardens and orchards,

where its presence may generally be detected by its weak shrill cry, which is not unlike that of the Golden-

crested Wren (Regulus auricapillus).
It is an excellent climber, ascending the boles of trees with great rapidity, in search of insects, upon

which it solely subsists. Its stiff and elastic tail, together with its long hind toe and curved claw, presents a

structure peculiarly adapted for ascending trees.

Its nest is constructed in the hole of a decayed tree, and is formed of grass and mosses, with a lining of

o nine in number, are white speckled with reddish brown.

feathers: the eggs, which are from seven t
n intermingled with black, brown, and greyish white; rump pale

Head and upper surface yellowish brow
ed; first four quills dusky; the remainder have a broad reddish white band in the middle, and the

chestnut r
er the eyes ; throat, breast, and under surface white,

tips white ; tail greyish brown; a whitish streak passes OV
passing into ochreous yellow on the vent ; upper mandible dusky, lower yellowish white ; legs and toes yel-
lowish brown.

The sexes are alike in plumage.

We have figured an adult bird of the natural size.