TROGLODYTID.E—TROGLODYTIN.E: WRENS. 293 



Guadalupe Island, Lower California. S. obsoletus guadeloupensis (by error for Guadalupensis) 

 KiDGw., Bull. U. S. Geol. Surv., ii, Apr. 1876, p. 185; *S'. obsoletus guadalupensis Coues, 

 Key, 2d-4th eds., 1884-90, p. 8G7 ; S. guadalupensis, Ridgw., Bull. Nutt. Club, ii, July, 1877, 

 p. 60; S. guadeloupensis [si'e], Ridgw., Man., 1887, p. 548; A. 0. U. Lists, 1886 and 1895, 

 No. 716. 



CATHER'PES. (Gr. Kadepnrjs, katherpes, a creeper; Kara, kata, down, tpvcj, herpo, I creep.) 

 Canon Wrens. Bill singularly attenuate, about as long as head, nearly straight in all its 

 outlines, with such direction of its axis that the bill as a whole appears continuous with the 

 line of the forehead. Tarsus not longer than middle toe and claw, with tendency to subdivision 

 of the lateral tarsal plate. Lateral toes of unequal lengths, the outer longest. Wings and 

 tail as in Salpinctes; and system of coloration much the same. One known species, of which 

 3 subspecies occur in the U. S. 



C. mexica'nus al'bifrons. (Lat. mexicanus, Mexican. Lat. albifrons, white-fronted; albiis, 

 white; frons, front, forehead.) Texan Canon Wren. Similar to the form next described; 

 much darker colored both above and below, with sharper contrast of the white throat ; white 

 speckling mostly restricted to back and wings ; black tail-bars broader and more regular; light 

 markings of wings mere indentations instead of complete bars. Bill straight, more abruptly 

 decurved at extreme tip. Feet stouter, dark brown. Length about 6.00 ; wing 2.80 ; tail 2.40 ; 

 bill nearly 1.00 long, only about 0.12 deep at base. Specimens vary much in sharpness and 

 extensiveness of speckling of upper parts. In best-marked cases, the spots quite white, almost 

 lengthened into streaks, each one completely set in black ; in other examples, small, sparse, and 

 restricted, these specimens also showing wavy transverse bars of blackish. Lower Rio Grande 

 of Texas, and southward in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. C. mexicanus of all former eds. of 

 Key, and of A. 0. U. Lists, 1886-95. Certhia albifrons Giraud, Sixt. Sp. Tex. B., 1841, 

 pi. XVIII. Catherpes mexicanus albifrons Nelson, Auk, Apr. 1898, p. 160; A. 0. U. 

 Suppl. List, Auk, Jan. 1899, p. 124. 



C. m. consper'sus. (Lat. conspersus, speckled.) Speckled Canon Wren. ^ 9 , adult : 

 Upper parts brown, paler and grayer anteriorly, behind shading insensibly into rich rufous, 

 everywhere dotted with small dusky and whitish spots. Tail clear cinnamon-brown, crossed 

 with numerous very narrow and mostly zigzag black bars. Wing-quills dark-brown ; outer 

 webs of primaries and both webs of inner secondaries barred with color of back. Chin, 

 throat, and fore brea.st, with lower half of side of head and neck, pure white, sliading be- 

 hind through ochraceons-brown into rich deep ferruginous, and posteriorly obsoletely waved 

 with dusky and whitish. Bill slate-colored, paler and more livid below ; feet black ; iris 

 brown. Length about 5.50; extent 7. .50; wing 2.30; tail 2.12; tarsus 0.65; bill 0.80. 

 California, New Mexico, Arizona, and portions of Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, 

 Idaho, and Oregon ; also S. in Mexico to Aguas Calientes ; residcmt in most of its range, and 

 common in suitable localities. A remarkable bird, famous for its ringing notes, inhabiting 

 canons and other rocky places. Nesting and eggs like those of the Rock Wren ; eggs 5 or 

 more, 0.75 X 0..55, crystal white, fairly sprinkled and blotched with reddish-brown. 

 C. 111. piiiu'tiila'tus. (Lat. punctulatus, dotted.) Dotted Canon Wren. Smaller than 

 either of the foregoing: Length about 5.00 ; wing 2. 10 ; tail 1.90; bill 0.75. Coloration inter- 

 mediate ; up])er parts most like those oi conspersus, and wings as completely barred ; but under 

 parts posteriorly dusky ferruginous (dark mahogany color), and tail-bars broad, firm, and reg- 

 ular, as in mexicanus proper. Coast region of California and Oregon ; resident in most of its 

 range. The type specimen, the only one I have seen, for some years in my cabinet and now 

 No. 82,71.5, Mus. S. I., seems to be recognizably distinct; but all the forms of the genus inter- 

 grade. Ridgw., Pr. Nat. Mus., v, Sept. 1882, p. 343; disallowed by A. 0. U. Committee, 

 1886 ; Key, 2d ed., 1884, p. 276; see also 4th ed., 1890, p. 896; A. 0. U. List, 2d ed., 1895, 

 p. 297, No. 717 6. 



