268 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS —PASSEBES— OSCINES. 



white, unmarked. The three species are western ; they are notable fur tluir diiuiuutive size, 



scarcely equalling a Polioptila in hulk. 



Anah/sis of Species. 



Crown brown, unlike back ; no black on side of bead minimus 53 



Crown like back ; no black on side of bead plumbeus 54 



Crown asb, unlike back ; a black stripe on side of bead melanotis 55 



53. P. miu'imus. (Lat. minimus, least, smallest.) Least Bush-tit. $ 9 : Dull lead-color, 

 frefjuently with a brown- 



ish or olivaceous shad. . 

 the top of the head ali- 

 ruptly darker — clove - 

 brown or hair-brown. 

 Below sordid whitish, or 

 brownish-white. Wings 

 and tail dusky, with 

 slight hoary edgings. 

 Bill and feet black. 

 Length 4.00 or less ; 

 wing scarcely or not 

 2.00; tail 2.00 or more; 

 bill 0.25; tarsus 0.60. 

 Young birds do not dif- 

 fer materially. There is 

 considerable variation in 

 the precise shade of the 

 body, but the brown cap 

 always differs in color 

 from the rest of the up- 

 per parts. Pacific coast 

 region of the U. S. 



54. P. plum'beus. (Lat. 

 plumbeus, lead-colored.) 

 Plumbeous Bush-tit. 

 $ 9 : Clear plumbeous, 

 with little or no olive 

 or brownish shade ; top 

 of head not difiierent 

 from the back ; sides 

 of head pale brownish. 

 Under parts as in P. 

 minimus, but clearer. 

 Tail longer than wings. 

 Eyes yellow or dark brown. Lengtb about 4.25; wing 1.88-2.12; taU 2.25-2.50; bill 

 0.25 ; tarsus 0.60. Very closely related to P. minimus ; but specimens are readily distin- 

 guishable. Total length greater, owing to elongation of the tail, which sometimes exceeds 

 the wings by 0.50. General coloration clearer and purer ; crown not different in color from the 

 back, but cheeks brownish in obvious contrast. Southern Rocky Mt. region, from Wyoming 

 and Nevada southward ; common in Arizona. 



53. P. melano'tis. (Gr. /ieXa?, melas, gen. fieXavos, melanos, black ; ovs, ous, gen. wros, otos, ear.) 

 Black-eared Bush-tit. ^, adult: Sides of head broadly black with greenish lustre, the 



Fig. 140. 

 Elliott.) 



■Least Busb-tit and nest, about j uat. 



