266 5 YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — PA S SERES — OSCIXES. 



Graude, ,in New Mexico and Western Texas. As stated in the Key, 2d, 8d, and 4th eds., 

 p. 262, P. melanura Lawr., Ann. Lye N. Y., vi, 185G, p. 1G8, and of other authors refer- 

 ring to the bird of the abuve given habitat, is the adult i>f P. x)lumhea Baird, Proc. Pliihida. 

 Acad., 1854, p. 118; as is also CuUcivora atricapilla of Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y., v, 1851, 

 p. 124, and of Cass., 111., 1854, pi. 27 (not of Swainson). 



P. califor'nica. (Lat., califomian.) Black-tailed Gxat-catcher. California Black- 

 capped Gnat-catcher. ^, adult: As compared with P. plumbea, upper parts decidedly 

 plumbeous instead of bluish ; throat, breast, and sides dull ashy instead of ashy-white ; lower 

 belly and crissum fulvous or even pale chestnut; light edging of tail-feathers confined to 

 outer pair, with sometimes slight tipping of next pair (as in my Fig. 127, c.) ; lining of wings 

 pearly-ash, not white ; secondaries and tertials edged with light brown. No pure white any- 

 where; general aspect of under parts nearly as dark as those of a Cat-bird. Whole crown 

 glossy black. Length 4.50; extent 6.10; wing 1.80-1.90; tail 1.90-2.20; tarsus 0.73; bill 

 0.50. 9 : Similar, but no black oa crown ; belly and crissum pale chestnut ; outer webs of 

 2d pair of rectrices edged with white. Changes of plumage of young ^ in reaching maturity 

 like those of P. plumbea. This is mainly a Pacific coast form ; P. melanura of authors refer- 

 ring to that region, but not of Lawr., 1856. It extends from Southern California into Lower 

 California, where its range reaches that of P. plumbea. Brewster, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 

 Apr, 1881, p. 103; Coues, Key, 2d-3d eds., 1884-87, p. 262; Ridgw., Man., 1887, p. 570; 

 A. 0. U. Lists, 1886-95, No. 753. 



Family CHAM^ID^ : Wren-tits. 



Framed for a siugle species, much like a Titmouse in general appearance, but with tar- 

 sus not evidently scutellate in front; rounded wings much shorter than graduated tail; lores 

 bristly ; plumage extraordinarily soft and lax. With the general habits of Wrens, with which 

 the species was formerly associated. The position and valuation of the group are still uncer- 

 tain, probably to be determined upon anatomical characters. I have little doubt that Chamcea 

 will yet be found referable to some other recognized family of birds, and suspect that it might 

 be assigned to the Old World Timeliidce, with at least as much propriety as some other Amer- 

 ican groups which have been relegated to that ill-assorted assemblage. In the A. 0. U. Lists, 

 1886-95, Chamcea is referred to Paridce as type of a subfamily ChamceirKB, which curiously 

 combines such dissimilar forms as Chamcea, Psaltriparus, and Auriparus — " inadvertently," 

 as one member of the Committee has remarked (Man. N. A. Birds, 1887, p. 558). Wlien 

 doctors disagree like this, it is useless to exchange one dubiosity for another, and safest to con- 

 tinue the treatment the unfortunate patient has survived for some years. I therefore retain 

 the family Chamceidce of the 2d-4th eds. of the Key, 1884-90. 



CHAMJE'A. (Gr. xa^a') c'*«»»«^' on the ground.) Wren-tits. Form and general aspect 

 combining features of wrens and titmice. Plumage extraordinarily lax, soft, and full. Color- 

 ation simple. Tarsal scutella obsolete, or faintly indicated, at least outside. Toes coherent 

 at base for about ^ the length of proximal joint of middle one. Soles widened and padded, 

 much as in Paridee. Primaries 10; 6th longest, 3d equal to longest secondaries, 1st about f 

 as long as longest; wing thus extremely rounded, and much shorter than tail (about f as long). 

 Tail very long, constituting more than ^ the entire length of the bird, extremely graduated, 

 with soft, narrow feathers, widening somewhat toward tips, rounded at end ; lateral pair 

 not I as long as the middle. Bill much shorter than head, very deep at base, straight, stout, 

 compressed-conical, not notched, with ridged and very convex culmen, but nearly straight 

 commissure and gonys; nostrils naked, scaled, linear, gape strongly bristled. Frontal feathers 

 reaching nasal fossae, but no ruff concealing nostrils as in Paridce. 



