58 PARIDA. 
members of the genus are all of small size, and are distinguishable from Parus by 
their long graduated tails, in which respect they approach the Old-World genus 
Acredula. 
1. Psaltriparus melanotis. 
Parus melanotus, Sandbach, Rep. Brit. Assoc. iv. p. 99 (1837, descr. nulla)’. 
Parus melanotis, Hartl. Rev. Zool. 1844, p. 216°. 
Psaliriparus melanotis, Scl. P. Z. 8. 1858, p. 299°, 1864, p. 172*; Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 84°; 
Salv. Ibis, 1866, p. 190°; Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 5447; Dugés, La 
Naturaleza, i. p. 140°; Baird, Brew. & Ridgw, N. Am. B. i. p. 108°; Salv. Cat. Strickl. 
Coll. p. 66°. 
Psaltria personata, Westermann, Bijdrag Dierk. i. p. 16, t.” 
Psaltriparus personatus, Bp. Compt. Rend. xxxi. p. 478”. 
Supra fusco-brunneus, pileo toto plumbeo ; alis et cauda dorso fere concoloribus paulo cinerascentioribus, capitis 
lateribus cum mento nigris ; subtus rufescenti-albidus, gutture canescente ; rostro et pedibus nigris. Long. 
tota 4:0, ale 1:95, caude rectr. med. 2°2, rectr. lat. 1-7, tarsi 0-62. (Descr. maris ex La Parada, Mexico. 
Mus. nostr.) 
mari similis, sed loris et genis pallide brunneis nec nigris (cervicis posticis lateribus tantum nigris) 
distinguenda. Iride, ave vivo, pallide straminea. (Descr. fem. ex Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala. Mus. 
nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico!!, Guanajuato (Dugés*), La Parada (Boucard?), Cayuilalpam (Sallé5), 
valley of Mexico (White *, le Strange), alpine region of Vera Cruz (Swmichrast) ; 
Guatemata ®, Solold°, Godines, Volcan de Fuego, San Lucas (0.8. & F. D. G.). 
This species, though previously indicated as an inhabitant of Mexico1, was first 
actually described from Guatemalan specimens ?, where it is confined to the district of 
the Altos, being found in most of the higher ranges of the Cordillera, between 7000 and 
9000 feet above the sea. We observed it at several places in this region, between the 
hills near Solola and the highest part of the road leading from the city of Guatemala 
to Antigua. In its habits Psaltriparus melanotis much resembles Acredula caudata of 
Europe. A small party of birds usually associate in a flock and fly from tree to tree, 
one bird following another at short intervals. When congregated in a tree they are 
restless like other Part, and search the leaves and branches assiduously for food. In 
Mexico the species seems to be also confined to the highlands. Prof. Sumichrast puts it 
down as an inhabitant of the alpine region of the State of Vera Cruz, being found in 
the mountains of San Diego at an elevation of over 6000 feet’. M. Boucard also found 
it in the higher parts of the State of Oaxaca. Though included by Messrs. Baird, Brewer, 
and Ridgway in their work on the birds of North America®, no specimens have as yet 
been obtained in that country; but Mr. Ridgway, when in the Humboldt Mountains of 
Nevada, saw what he believed to be birds of this species. In life the iris of P. melanotis 
is pale straw-colour. 
