Avifauna of Central Ainerica. 7G9 



The Paridae is evidently an Old "World group wliicli 

 has but recently made its way into America, inasmuch 

 as of 211 species now recognized only 39 are met with 

 in America. Four well-marked genera are represented, 

 ranging from Alaska on the one hand, and Labrador on the 

 other, southwards to Texas and California. Six species 

 enter Mexico, and one (Psa/tiparus melanotls) extends 

 southward into the highlands of Guatemala. The Mexican 

 species, in like manner^ arc confinc-d to the highlands. Of 

 these it may be remarked that two represent the genus 

 Pai'vs (P. scluteri and P. woUioeberi) and three the Long- 

 tailed Tits, Acredula {A. helviventris, A. melanotis, and 

 A.julus); while Auriparus fiaviceps Ye^vQ&eni% thePenduline 

 Tits. 



Mexico forms the southernmost limit of the Sittidse, 

 another Old World group which occurs throughout North 

 America. Three species are met within Mexico — S. nelsoni, 

 which occurs in the mountains of Chichuahua and ISonora, 

 S. mexicana of Puebla, and S. pygmaa of western Mexico. 



The precise affinities of the Mniotiltidse, a group peculiar 

 to the New World, yet renuiin to be determined. Indeed, 

 the group itself is in great need of revision, for it is 

 certainly made up of discordant elements. Some of its 

 members, at any rate, seem to display affinities with the 

 Tanagridae. But, be this as it may, its members are 

 essentially northern in habitat, for out of 232 species only 

 82 pass into j\Iexico and but two species range beyond the 

 northern confines of South America, and many of these 

 occur only as winter visitants. Two species, Geothlypis 

 cucuUatus and G. leucoblepharus, range as far south as 

 Argentina and Paraguay ; for the rest the southernmost 

 limit seems to be the northern portion of South America. 

 Other members of this group, it may be remarked, have 

 wandered into the Antilles, Bermuda, and Jamaica, and 

 the Galapagos Archipelago, which have formed centres of 

 i>solation for the evolution of new species. 



The Wagtails, Pipits, and Larks are but poorly repre- 

 sented in America; the Wagtails, indeed, only by Motacilla 

 a^ascensis hi wiist Alaska; while the Pipits do not number 



