TROGLODYTLDJi — THE WRENS — CAJMPYLOKHYNCHUS. Ql 



Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, Lafressaye. 



THE CALIFOENIAN CACTUS-WEEN. 



Picolaptes brimneicapillui, Lafresxaye, Giierin JIag. de Zuol. 1835, 61 ; pi. xlvii. (California.) 

 — Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lvu. V. May, 1851,114. (Texas.) — IIeermanx, Jour. A. 

 N. Su. Pli. 2d ser. II. Jan. 1853, 263. — Cassi.v, lUust. I. 1854, 156; pi. xxv.— Ctim- 

 jii/loi-lii/nchus bruniicicajiil/iis, Gray, Genera, I. March, 1847,159. — Baiku, P. K. Rep. 

 IX. Bird.<, 355. — Heerm.ixx, X. vi. 41. 



Sp. Char. Bill as long as the head. Aljove, brown ; darkest on the head, which is 

 unspotted. Feathers on the back streaked centrally with white. Beneath, whitish, tinged 

 with rusty on the belly ; the feathers of the throat and upper parts, and under tail coverts, 

 with large ronnded black spots ; those of the remaining under parts with smaller, more 



linear ones. Chin and line over the eye white. Tail feathers black beneath, barred sub- 

 terminally (the outer one tbronghout) with white. Length, 8.50; extent, 11.50; wing, 

 3.75 ; tail, 3.25. Iris blood red ; Ijill horn-color, whitish below ; feet whitish-brown. 

 Hab. Valleys of Rio Grande and Gila, to San Diego, California. 



I found this interesting Ijird aljnndant, and already i)reparing to Ijuild nests, 

 near San Diego, as early as February 26th, but think they had been there 

 during the whole winter. They are, however, easily overlooked, as at most 

 times they keep close in the dense thickets of cactus, where early in the 

 morning the males mount to the top of some low tree, and utter a loud 

 harsh trill, reminding one of the song of the marsh-wren, but much louder 

 and more ringing. Several times after shooting one, I had to cut a path 

 for several yards through the thicket to get the sj^ecimen. The males were 

 then very quarrelsome, pursuing each other long distances, with slirill, angry 

 notes of jealousy. 



