62 CERTHIID 2. 
obscure corylinis. Long. tota 5:1, ale 2:45, caude 2°5, rostri a rictu 0-7, tarsi 0°55. (Descr. exempl. ex 
Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Mexico, Ranchos de Suapam (Sallé*), La Parada? and Cinco Sefiores*® (Boucard), 
Jalapa (de Oca*), Orizaba (le Strange), Moyoapam, Popocatepetl, Peak of Orizaba 
(Sumichrast®); GuaTeMALA, Volcan de Fuego’, Totonicapam, ridge above San 
Geronimo to Chilasco’ (0. 8S. & F. D. G.). 
Though included in several works on North-American birds? 1°, Certhia mexicana 
does not seem to have ever been found so far north; nor have we any record of its 
existence except in the higher mountains of Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Asa 
species we are disposed to consider it quite distinct, a position that has of late not 
always been conceded to it®1®. Granting that Certhia americana of North America 
is inseparable from the European C. familiaris, C. mevicana seems to be always distin- 
guishable by its altogether darker colouring, the richer chestnut of the rump, and the 
colour of the under surface, which contrasts strongly with the white under-plumage 
of its congener—differences which we have never, so far as the Guatemalan specimens 
are concerned, seen destroyed by examples of intermediate character. This view is not 
quite in accordance with that adopted by Mr. Dresser in his ‘ Birds of Europe,’ where 
he unites the Mexican and North-American birds with Certhia familiaris, whilst he 
admits the distinctness of the Guatemalan bird. An examination of more Mexican 
specimens than we possess would settle the point; in the meantime our view is probably 
most in accordance with fact. 
In Southern Mexico Certhia meaicana seems to be exclusively found in the higher 
mountains, Prof. Sumichrast including it amongst the birds of the alpine region of the 
State of Vera Cruz, being found on the lofty volcanoes of Orizaba and Popocatepetl 8. — 
In Guatemala we only found it in districts where extensive tracts of pine trees grow, 
such as the upper part of the Volcan de Fuego, at an elevation of from 10,200 feet to 
between 11,000 and 12,000 feet, and also near Totonicapam, as high as 10,000 feet. 
In Vera Paz we found it at a much lower elevation, amongst the pine trees on the spur 
of the range overlooking the plain of San Gerdnimo, where the Indian ruins which 
now go by the name of Pueblo Viejo stand, which are less than 4000 feet above the 
sea. Near the same district we also found it at Santa Barbara, and in the pine-forests 
on the road to Chilasco, at an elevation of about 6000 feet. 
The habits and notes of the species seemed quite to resemble those of the well- 
known European bird. 
Fam. TROGLODYTID. 
CAMPYLORHYNCHUS. 
Campylorhynchus, Spix, Av. Bras. i. p. 77 (1824). 
Heleodytes, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 80 (1850). (Type Formicarius griseus, Sw.) 
There are seventeen or eighteen species in this genus, all having a general structural 
