538 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Family CINCLID^.— The Dippers. (Page 323.) 



Genera. 

 (Characters same as those given for the Family) Cinclus, (Page 538.) 



Genus CINCLUS Bechstein. (Page 538, pi. CXIX., fig. 5.) 



Species. 



Common Characters (of North American species). — Color plain grayish, the 

 head sometimes more brownish ; young and winter specimens with larger feathers 

 of wings and those of posterior lower parts bordered with whitish, the lower parts 

 decidedly whitish or much suffused with white in young. 



fl'. Adult in summer : Uniform slate-grayish, the head and neck more brownish 

 (sometimes decidedly brown) ; bill entirely blade. Winter pluinage : Similar, 

 but tertials, greater wing-coverts, and feathers of lower parts bordered ter- 

 minally with whitish ; lower mandible light-colored on basal portion. Young : 

 Similar to winter plumage, but lower parts more or less mixed with white, 

 and tinged posteriorly with rusty. Length 7.00-8.50, wing 3.40-3.81, tail 

 1.90-2.12, culmen .60-.70, tarsus 1.00-1.20. Nest bnilt within a very bulky 

 oven-shaped structure composed of doselj- compacted green mosses, the en- 

 trance on one side, the nest proper embedded in the floor of the " house," and 

 composed of fine rootlets, etc. ; the nest built among rocks near running 

 water, often behind a cascade. Eggs 3-5, 1.02 X -70, plain pure white. JIab. 

 Mountainous districts of western North America, north to Alaska (Yukon 

 Valley, where resident), south to Costa IJica. 



701. C. mexicanus Swains. American Dipper. 



a'. Adult : Above bluish gray, or plumbeous, slightly dai'kcr on head ; liencath ash- 

 gray, lighter anteinorly, more plumbeous on sides. Young : Chin, throat, 

 and chest white; other lower parts grayish white, tinged with plumbeous 

 laterally ; wing-coverts tipped with grayish white, the quills and secondaries 

 bordered terminally with pure white. Wing 3.50-3.65, tail about 2.00, cul- 

 men .70-.72, tarsus 1.28-1.30. Hub. Mountains of Costa Eica and Veragua. 



C. ardesiacus Sai.v. Costa Rican Dipper.' 



F.vMiLY TROGLODYTIDiE.— The Wrens, Thrashers, etc. 



(Page 322.) 



Gcncrn. 



a\ Ivictal bristles well developed; inner toe entirely free at base from middle toe; 

 wing 3.50, or more. (Subfamily Mimina:) 

 6'. Tail shorter than wing, nearly even Oroscoptes. (Pago 541.) 



» Cinclua arJoiacut S-iLV., Ibis, 1S67, 121, j)!. 2. 



