CATHERPES. 73 
Thriothorus guttulatus, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 99 ©. 
Certhia albifrons, Girard, B. Texas, t. 18°. 
Supra nigro-brunneus, pileo obscuriore ; dorso toto et cervicis lateribus albo nigroque stellato; cauda rufa 
nigro anguste transfasciata, supracaudalibus rufis nigro maculatis ; alis fuscis nigro obsolete transfasciatis ; 
subtus gutture toto albo, pectore rufo, ventre brunneo punctulis nigris albido terminatis notato; rostro 
obscure corneo, mandibule basi albicante; pedibus nigris. Long. tota 5-5, alee 2:5, caudee 2-1, tarsi 0°8, 
rostri a rictu 1-1. (Descr. exempl. ex Tehuantepec. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. South-western parts of Centra Norra America, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas 8, 
&c.1? 8.—Mexico ®, Tepic (Grayson !°), Guadalaxara (Grayson, Dugés!1), Guana- 
juato (Dugés 1"), Real del Monte (Morgan '), Rio Coahuayana (Xantus7), Mirador 
(Sartorius"), Yuantepec (Deppe, Mus. Berol.), valley of Mexico (White ®, le Strange, 
Sumichrast®), Orizaba (Botteri*), State of Vera Cruz (Sumichrast®), Oaxaca 
(Loucard *), Santa Efigenia, Tehuantepec (Swmichrast). 
Specimens of this Wren from America north of Mexico have been separated from 
the Mexican bird by Mr. Ridgway as a geographical race under the name of Catherpes 
mexicanus, var. conspersus |”; the differences observable between the two being stated to 
be the greater curvature of the bill of the northern bird, the head and neck above being 
thickly marked with white spots, the colours of the under surface more blended, as well 
as other minor points. The validity of these distinctions is confirmed by Dr. Coues 2%, 
and, we have no doubt, indicate that the northern bird is fairly constant in its characters. 
But when Mexican examples are compared, we find great diversity both in the size of 
the bill and in the coloration of the plumage. A specimen from Sallé’s collection 
from Southern Mexico is barely distinguishable from one of Mr. Henshaw’s specimens 
from Arizona, whilst a Tehuantepec example exhibits all the characters attributed by 
Mr. Ridgway to the true C. mexicanus. We possess other Mexican specimens which 
are intermediate, having the bill of the southern bird and the plumage of the northern. 
It would seem, then, that C. mexicanus is a variable species in Mexico, but that in the 
northern parts of its range it is more constant in its characters. 
The Mexican bird was first described by Swainson in 18291 from specimens obtained 
at Real del Monte. Two years afterwards Lichtenstein named Deppe’s birds as 
Troglodytes murarius*, under which name the specimens still stand in the Berlin 
Museum. Again, in 1839, Lafresnaye renamed it Thryothorus guttulatus } ; and, lastly, 
in 1841, Giraud included it amongst his sixteen birds of Texas, under the title of 
Certhia albifrons *°, All these names apply to the Mexican race. 
In North America C. meaxicanus is usually found in the cafions of the south-western 
portion of the United States, which form so characteristic a feature in the physical 
geography of that district; and from this, its favourite resort, it is called the Cafion 
Wren '*, But it by no means only frequents such barren localities, being also found 
about walls and houses, where its familiar habits make it a general favourite’ 12, Its 
song is described as a series of loud clear notes, uttered in a simple descending scale 13, 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Zool., Aves, Vol. 1, Feb. 1880. 10 
