6o PACIFIC COAST AVIFAUNA. [No. 4 



Catherpes mexicanus conspersus Ridgway. Canyon Wren. 



Resident throughout the mountains, though nowhere very abund- 

 ant, the Canyon Wren is to be found around the steep cliffs and preci- 

 pices bordering the canyons, or on the rock strewn foothills. A female 

 secured on April 12th contained an egg about ready to be laid; and by 

 ,the middle of June troops of young led by their parents were seen in 

 many places. 



Thryomanes bewicki leucogaster (Baird). Baird Wren. 



I found this wren to be quite common in the lower parts of the 

 mountains, ranging up to about 6000 feet, and occurring also in suitable 

 localities in the valley below. It appeared to be resident, and I could 

 discern no increase in the number of birds seen during the migration. 



Though a common species the nest is quite difficult to find, and I 

 have seen only three or four, all built in cavities in the trees, from six 

 to fifteen feet from the ground. 



Specimens secured vary much in size but little in color, though the 

 only autumnal adult taken, a male on August 17th which had nearly 

 completed the moult, is appreciably darker than any spring specimens. 



Troglodytes aedon aztecus Baird. Western House Wren. 



An abundant summer resident in the higher parts of the mountains, 

 breeding from 7000 feet upward, but most abundant in the pine forests 

 above 8000 feet. Upon their arrival in the spring, the first being noted 

 on April 8th, they were distributed over all parts of the range, but soon 

 withdrew to the higher altitudes to breed; nor did they descend again 

 when the young were out of the nest, as so many species similarly 

 placed, did. Spring specimens are uniformly very pale, and easily dis- 

 tinguished from parkiiiani of the Pacific Coast ; but a male taken Sep- 

 tember 2nd, which has quite completed the moult, is much darker than 

 the spring birds and bears a close resemblance to fall specimens of park- 

 iiiani. 



Olbiorchilus hiemalis pacificus (Baird). Western Winter Wren. 



I met with this species on but one occasion, on April 2, 1902, when 

 a male bird was secured at an altitude of 5500 feet. It is probably a 

 straggler from the Pacific Coast, of rare and irregular occurrence. 



Certhia familiaris albescens (Berlepsch). Mexican Creeper. 



A fairly common summer resident in the higher pine regions, and 

 as a rule restricted to those parts and but seldom descending below 7000 

 feet. The earliest arrival noted was a female, taken with a female of 

 C. f. montana, on March 3, 1903, at an altitude of 5700 feet, the lowest 

 altitude at which I have ever found the species. About ten days later 

 they were fairly numerous along the divide of the mountains, where the 

 faint call note peculiar to the species could be frequently heard, though 

 the birds themselves generally succeeded in evading observation. About 

 the middle of July young birds began to appear, and they seemed more 

 abundant at this time than at any other. As with many other species 

 breeding in the higher parts of the range, a downward movement began 

 about this time, and though never descending to the foothills, in the late 

 summer Creepers were found scattered all through the upper part of the 

 oak belt. The juveniles seem to be attended by their parents for a long 

 time, for up to the first week in September, when young and old were 

 practically indistinguishable in size and general appearance, the families 



