. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 72 NATUIiAL BISTORT. The following is Professor Macgilli\'ray"s acooimt of the habits of the Creeper :*â'⢠In winter, should yoii fall in with a flock of Reguli and Pari scouring a wood, you may be pretty well assured that a few Tree Creepers will be found at no great distance. There, clinging to the rough bark at the base of that old elm, you see one advancing upwards by short jerks. At each movement it emits a .shrill but feeble cry. See how it climbs, .searching every crevice, now proceeding directly upwards, now windmg round the
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 72 NATUIiAL BISTORT. The following is Professor Macgilli\'ray"s acooimt of the habits of the Creeper :*â'⢠In winter, should yoii fall in with a flock of Reguli and Pari scouring a wood, you may be pretty well assured that a few Tree Creepers will be found at no great distance. There, clinging to the rough bark at the base of that old elm, you see one advancing upwards by short jerks. At each movement it emits a .shrill but feeble cry. See how it climbs, .searching every crevice, now proceeding directly upwards, now windmg round the trunk, presently passing behind it, and in a short time appearing on the other side. Observe it well, and you will see that it crouches close to the sui-face, presses its tail against it, now and then picks something from a cleft, jerks itself forward, never rests for a moment, but it seems in utmost haste, and expresses its anxiety by continually emitting its lisping cry. Yet its efforts are not labgrious; it seems to hold on with perfect ease and unconcern, and although it is now half-way up, it exhibits no sign of fatigue. There it passes ofl from the. â ^^^-%$ COMMON' CREEPER. trunk, creeps along a nearly horizontal branch, winding round it, adhering even to its lower surface with its back toward the ground. Having gone as far as it finds convenient, it flies back to the trunk, which it ascends untU you lose sight of it among the twigs at the top. What next? Will it creep down again? No. There it comes with headlong flight, glancing like an arrow curves as it comes near the ground, alights at the very root of the next tree, and commences its ascent. You may watch it for an hour, and you will find it as fresh, as lively, and as keen as ever. Shoidd it happen to observe you, and suspect that you mean it no good, it will run up the back of the tree, appearing now and then at the sides, until it is perhaps half way up, when it will seai-ch all parts alike, being free of the
Size: 1763px × 1417px
Photo credit: © Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectanimals
