CHAJLEADvE — THE GROUND-TITS 



83 



Family CHAMiEADiE. — The Ground-Tits. 



Cdar. Bill compressed, sliort, ratliei- conical, not notched nor decurved. Culmcn 

 sharp-ridged. Nostrils linear, with an incumbent scale. Rictal bristles reaching beyond 

 nostrils, •which are scantily overhung by bristly feathers. Loral feathers bristly and 

 directed forwards. Tarsi booted, or covered with a continuous plate anteriorly, with 

 faint indications of scutellse on the inner side. Basal joint of middle toe attached for 

 about half its length on either side. Primaries ten ; sixth quill longest. Plumage very la.x. 



We have found it impossible to assign the genus Chama-a to any recog- 

 nized family of American Ijirds, and have accordingly been obliged to give it 

 independent rank in this re- 

 spect, although it maj' prop- 

 erly belong to some Old 

 World group with which we 

 are not acquainted. In its 

 general appearance it ap- 

 proaches the ParidcB in loose 

 plumage, bristly lores, want 

 of notch to bill, etc. ; but 

 differs in the very mucli 

 bristled rictus, sharp-ridged 

 culmen, linear nostrils, booted tarsi, less amount of adhesion of the toes, etc. 



It approaclies the Sylviidcc in the 

 sharp-ridged culmen and bristly gape, 

 but is otherwise very different. The 

 excessively rounded wing is a pecu- 

 liar feature, the sixth primary being 

 the longest. 



The family may, perhaps, be best 

 placed between the Sylviidm and 

 Pa rida. 



This family has but one representa- 

 tive (Chamcca fasciata), and this con- 

 fined to the coast region of Calilbrnia. 

 The characters of the genus are those 

 of the family. 



ChaincFa fasciata. 



Cliam<Fa fasciata. 



Genus CHAM^aSA, Gambel. 

 Chnmcea, Gambel, Pr. A. X. Sc. Pliil. Ill, 1847, 134. (Typo, Parus fasciatus.) 

 lUit iJiie species of this genus has as yet been described. 



