356 



U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS ZOOLOGY GENERAIi EEPOET. 



CATHERPES, Baird. 



Ch. — Bill longer than the head, slender ; all the outlines nearly straight to the tip, then gently decurved, gonys least so ; nostrils 

 linear ; tarsus short, about equal to the middle toe, which reaches to the middle of the middle claw. Outer too considerably 

 longer than the inner, reaching beyond the base of the middle claw. Wings a little longer than the tail ; the exposed portion 

 of the first primary about lialf tliat of the fourth and fiflh. Tail feathers vnry broad and perfectly plane ; tail nearly even ; the 

 two lateral graduated ; the outer about eleven-twelfths of the middle. 



This genus agrees with Salpinctes in the broad, plane tail feathers, hut the hill is much 

 longer, the nostrils linear, not oval, the feet much stouter, the outer toe rather longer ; the 

 tarsus shorter, being equal to the middle toe, not longer ; the hind toe much longer than the 

 outer lateral, instead of equal to it. The wings are but little longer than the tail, and less 

 pointed and shorter than in Salpinctes. 



Cabanis, in establishing this genus on the broad tail feathers and long wings, includes S. 

 obsoletus and mexicanus. In this, however, he overlooks the remarkable differences in the feet 

 and wings of the two species. His type being obsoletus, the new genus belongs to mexicamis. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



CATHERPES MEXICANUS, Baird. 

 White-throated Wren. 



Thryothonis mexicanus, Swainson, Zool. Illustrations, 2d series, I, 1829, pi. xi. Real del Monte. 



Salpinctes mexicamis, Cabanis, Wiegmann's Arcliiv, 1847, i, 323. — In. Mus. Hein. 1851, 78. — Bon. Consp. 1850,224. 



Troglodytes mexicanus, Gray, Genera, I, 1847, 159. — Heermann, J. A. N. Sc. 2d sor. II, 1853, 263. — Cassin, 



Illust. I, VI, 1854, 173 ; pi. xxx. 

 "Troglodytes albicoUis, CnviER, Gal. de Paris, Cah. No. 3."— "Lesson, Compl. VI, 1829, 188." 

 ? " Troglodytes murarius, Light. Doppc & Schiede, Preis Verz. " (I cannot find that any description was published.) 

 ? Salpinctes murarius, Cabanis, Nomenclator Av. Mus. Berol, 1854, 35. 

 Certhia albifrons, Giraod, 16 Sp. Texan Birds, 1841 ; pi. viii. 

 Thryotliorus gultulatus, Lafresnate, Rev. Zool. 1839,99. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill considerably longer than the head ; claws large. Head and nock above dark ashy brown, passing gradually 

 into light rusty brown on the rump ; the sides of the body, belly, and under tail coverts similar, all these regions marked with 

 email rounded white and dusky spots, the latter in the form of waved bars on the feathers of the back ; an obscure white lino 

 over the eye. Chin, throat, and upper part of the breast pure white. Tail feathers rusty red on both sides, with six or eight 

 narrow transverse bars of block. 



Length, 6.50 ; wing, 2.50 ; tail, 2.50. (.3909.) 



flab. Valley of Rio Grande, Colorado, and Gila, (but not on the coast of California?) South into Mexico. 



This species, first added to the fauna of the United States by Dr. Augustus L. Hecrmaan, 

 is the most handsomely marked of all the American wrens. In addition to tlic characters given 

 above, it may be stated that the rufous color of the upper and under tail coverts is of about the 



