50 NEW- YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



(EXTRA-LIMITAL .) 



S. pusilla. (Wils. Vol. 2, pi. 15. Aud. B. of A. Vol. 4, pi. 249.) Plumbeous. Head and neck 



above light brown ; beneath slate. Lateral tail-feathers black, tipped with grey and crossed with 



white. Length, 4 inches. Southern Slates. 

 S. pygmaa, Vigors. (Aud. B. of A. Vol. 4, p. 184, pi. 250.) Greyish brown above. Quills 



and tail dusky margined with grey. Two outer feathers of tail with a white band towards the 



base. Length, 3i inches. California. 



GENUS CERTHIA. Linnaeus. 



Bill long, slender, arched, entire, much compressed, three-sided, acute. Nostrils basal, linear, 

 oblong, situated in a groove, and half closed by a membrane. Edges of mandibles not 

 notched. Tarsus and middle toe subequal, compressed : first toe longer than the middle 

 toe, including the claw ; hind toe longest, with a very long claw. Wings short, very broad ; 

 fourth and fifth quills longest ; first shorter than the seventh. Tail wedge-shaped, of twelve 

 stiff pointed feathers. 



THE BROWN CREEPER. 



CERTHIA AMERICANA. 



PLATE XLI. FIG. 90 (Female). 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Brown Creeper. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 122, pi. 8, fig. 1. Ncttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 585. Audubon, 



fol. pi. 415 ; Orn, Biog. Vol. 5, p. 458. 

 C. americana. Bonapakte, Geog. and Comp List, p. J 1. 

 C. familiaris. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 2, p. 109, pi. 115. Gieaud, Birds of Long island, p. 71. 



Characteristics. Dark grey, varied with light brown and dusky ; beneath white ; rump 

 and tail dusky brown. Length, 5i inches. 



Description. The first and seventh primaries subequal. Tail rounded, longer than the 

 body ; the quills with their shafts projecting beyond the webs, and ending in acute elastic 

 points. Plumage on the back soft and loose. 



Color. Above reddish brown. Feathers with a dull white central streak. A white streak 

 over the eye, and a small dark triangular spot between the eye and base of the bill. Beneath 

 while, tinged with brown on the sides. Wings deep brown. Tail brown, with obsolete 

 dusky undulations. 



Length, 5-0 -5 - 5. 



