BIRDS CEETHIADAE — CEETHIA AMERICANA . 



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tips are seen to be pale fulvous, with a continuous dark line running along tlie tips. The two 

 outer primaries are unicolor ; the rest have the band of fulvous white on the middle across both 

 webs ; and there is a similar band on the secondaries, the line continuous in the outstretched 

 wings. There are also two bands of white across the coverts. 



The female is quite similar to the male, and I have not seen any American specimens with 

 the strong rufous tinge above, indicated by Audubon. Tbe under parts, excepting the tail 

 coverts, are, in perfect specimens, nearly pure white, with, perhaps, a faint tinge on the breast; 

 in No. 1337, however, the body is strongly plumbeous white beneath. 



The tail in 827, from Carlisle, is considerably longer than in any other American specimens 

 I have seen, even from the same locality. 



There appears to be very little difference between the American creeper and the European 

 C. familiaris, although I have not at hand the means of making the comparison. Keichenbach, 

 in his carefully prepared monograph of the genus Oerthia, (Handbuch Speciellen Ornithologie, 

 I, 265,) gives nothing tangible on the subject, although referring the American form to Brehm's 

 sub-species, C. septentrionalls. 



Young birds from Washington' Territory, 5945 and 7132, are like the adult, with the 

 markings less distinct. 



A Certhia from Mexico (8176) differs from Carlisle specimens in being darker above, the 

 rufous of the rump considerably deeper and of a brownish orange shade. The light bars on the 

 wings are narrower and less prominent. The under parts are of a duller white ; the 

 throat is similar. The bill is considerably longer, but shorter than in 7154, from New Mexico, 

 which again is lighter above. No. 10208, from Fort Tejon, is, however, precisely identical in 

 all these features. All the west coast specimens agree in rather darker colors above and a 

 darker rufous on the rump, intermediate in this respect, as well as in length of bill, between 

 8176 or 10208 and Pennsylvania skins. I can hardly see good grounds, however, for making a 

 second species with the insensible gradations visible in the series. The peculiarities of color 

 correspond to those of Certhia mexicana of Gloger, which is said to be darker than the common 

 species, but is also said to be smaller, which is not the case with western skins, and the bill is 

 absolutely longer, instead of shorter, as indicated by Reichenbach's measurements. 



List of specimens. 



iFeet white ; Iris and bill, brown. 



