230 APPENDIX TO OSCINES. 



tiiially disappea/inf!; in October. It is a fine soii<rstcr ; atid its lively, aniinatod strains, 

 of canary-like sweetness and clearness, may be heard at all lionrs of the day, in the 

 cool, damp woods, near the upper limit of tree-growtli. The female sings at times, 

 and nearly as loudly and sweetly as the male. R. aatrapa I have not seen in these 

 mountains. 



['1\) the synonyms of this species add : Cortlnilio calendula, C'ai?., J. f. O. i, 1853, 83 

 (tv])e of the genus), and Sjjlrin (Rajitloidcii) calendula. Gkay, Hand-list, i, 1869, 21(5, No. 

 3d(i8.— E. C] 



[The lirst nest of Retjiihts cahndnJa which has reached naturalists was taken by Mr. J. 

 H. liatty, in Colorado, July 21, 1873. It was j.laced on a spruce-bough, about 15 feet 

 from the ground, and contained five young aud one egg. The nest i.s astonisiiingly 

 huge for the bird ; I um not sure that its shape is jjreserved accurately, but the Avholo 

 could scarcely be got in the largest coll'ee-cup. It is composed of an inextricably but 

 loosely-woven mass of featliers aud hair, mixed with short bits of straws and a little 

 moss.— E. C] 



Paki'8 ATiiiCAPiLLUS var. SEPTEXTKioxALis, Lontj-taikd Titmou-ie. Comnum ; resident; 

 breeds. Precisely similar in habits, notes, aud actions, to tlie typical F. alricapiUus. 

 This species does not range as high as the Mountain Titmouse, rarely venturing beyond 

 9,(!00 feet, ■while its usual range is from the plains up to about 8,00U feet. 



P. .'MONTAXUS, Mountain. Titmouse. Abundant; breeding from about 8,000 feet up to 

 timber-line. lu winter it descends nearly to the plains, but may be found, in the 

 most inclement weather, nearly or quite up to timber-line. Not distinguishable from 

 the former in its notes and habits. 



SiTTA CAHOLIXENSIS var. ACULEATA, Slender-Mllcd Xuthatch. This species arrives at 

 Idaho about the 1st of April, aud gradually extends upward, breeding from a,bout 8,000 

 or 8,500 feet, up to timber-line. It is not very common, but by uo meaus rare. In its 

 motious aud habits it is the exact counterpart of the White-breasted Nuthatch, but 

 its notes are quite ditferent. The common, piping note is nearly the same, though in 

 a ditt'erent key; but the loud spring-call is very different. It is far coarser, louder, 

 aud more rapid in aculeata — so loud and rattling in fact, that I have mistaken it for the 

 call of the Red-shafted Flicker — while there is none of the soft, uuisical tone that 

 marks the spriug-note of »S'. earolinensis. The notes, in fact, are almost as widely apart 

 as those of Sturnella maijna and S. uefjlecta, and one unacquaiuted witli the bird would 

 never suspect its relationship on first hearing its call. In October it retires toward 

 the foot-hills, where it may be found all winter. 



S. rYG:\i.EA, I'ligmij Nutliaieh. Abundant and resident ; breeding from about 0,000 

 feet up to 8,500 or 9,000. Scarcely migratory, remaining in nearly the same localities 

 throughout the year. The Pygmy Nuthatch is a delicate little fellow, with more of 

 the habits and voice of ..S. canadensis than of the white-breasted species ; a similarity 

 carried out by the coloration of the tail, aud their half-warbler-like movements at 

 times. They are very active, and incessantly on the move, creeping over the trunks 

 and limbs of the pities, and tapping vigorously here and there, like a Woodpecker, and 

 far louder than the other Nuthatches do. Very .social, it is fond of gathering in flocks 

 with the Mountain Titmouse, whose habits lead it into similar }ihices, aud in whose 

 soci<;ty it roams through the woods in busy, twittering groups, exploring every decayed 

 limb aud falleu trunk, peering with sharp eyes into each crack and cranny that might 

 form the lurking place of its iusect food, and examining the pine and fir cones for the 

 same purpose, hanging from them in all possible positions, precisely like a Piue 

 Finch. Like the Canada Nuthatch, they will chase and cai)tnre an insect on the 

 Aving ; aud freciuently descend to the ground, alighting, warbler-like, on low bushes, 

 aud then flitting back to the pine boughs. Their notes are various; a sort of shrill 

 piping, like; that of the red-breasted species; a dee^j-toued variation of the same note, 

 uttered only in spring; and a twittering note, uttered at times while feeding together, 

 aud used as a rallying or warning cry, aud when about to take wing. 



Ceutiiia EAMii.iAnis, r,rou-n Creeper. Abundant during the winter, from 7,000 feet 

 np to 9,000 feet, and probably ranging considerably higher aud lower. Breeds spar- 

 ingly in the ujiper woods, within a i'ew hundred feet of timber-line. Appears at Idaho 

 late ill the fall, and becomes very co:uuu)u as soon as the \^■eather becomes cold, great 

 numbers coming in from other regions. Similar in all respects to the casteru bird. 



[Add to the synonyms of this spevies : Certhia fusca, 1>a1!T., Frag. Nat. Hist. Pa. 

 1799. If the American bird is to be distinguished, it is to be called C. familiaris var. 

 /((«cfl.— E. C] 



Sai.pixcte:s 013S0LETTJS, i?oc/i' TTren. Abundant; migratory; breeds. The Rock Wren 

 arrives at Idaho about the 20th of May, an<l extimds its range up to, aud a little above, 

 timber-line. It breeds uiost abundantly between (),500 and 9,500 feet, rarely nesting 

 higher that the latter elevation, though found during suniuu'r from 12,000 feet down 

 to the. plains. It is a constant resident of the jiiles of loose rock whicli lie .scattered 

 on the mountainsides, in which it finds its food and rears its young, aud to which it 

 retreats for safety on being alarmed. On its first arrival it is rather shy, but soon 

 becomes tame aud even familiar, hauutiug piles of boulders aud small stones in the 



