HELEODVTES. 547 



Gencs HELEODYTES Cabanis.' (Page 539, pi. CXXI., fig. 1.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — Largest of the "Wrens (length 7.00 to nearly 8.00) ; top 

 of head plain brown (varying in tint from sepia to burnt-umber); back lighter 

 bi-own, streaked with white and black; wings spotted with pale grayish brown 

 and whitish on a dusky ground ; middle tail-feathers brownish graj-, transverselj- 

 spotted with black ; rest of tail black, transversely spotted or broadly barred, more 

 or less, with white ; a conspicuous white superciliary stripe, bordered beneath by a 

 dusk}- line ; anterior lower parts white, more or less spotted with black ; posterior 

 lower parts pale cinnamon-buff, or very pale buff, more sparsely marked with black. 

 Young essentially like adults, but streaks on back much less shai-jjly defined, mark- 

 ings on lower parts smaller, and colors generally more suffused. JVest very bulky, 

 more or less flask-shaped, of more or less horizontal position, the entrance at one 

 end; placed in a cactus or other thorny shrub; composed of sticks, coarse straws, 

 etc., lined with feathers, etc. Eggs with the ground-color whiti-sh, creamy white, 

 or salmon-buff, but this often nearly if not quite hidden by the density of the 

 reddish brown sprinkling, the general hue being a light brownish pink. 



a'. Only the outer tail-feather with white bars for whole length, and even on this 

 these bars complete, or uninterrupted, only on terminal portion ; flanks 

 deep buff, marked with narrow streaks or small spots (or both) of blackish ; 

 throat and chest usually heavily spotted with black, in marked contrast with 

 rest of lower parts ; top of head sepia-brown (rai'ely varying to a burnt- 

 umber or Vandyke tint) ; length about 8.00-8.75, wing 3.30-3.50. tail 3.25- 

 3.50, exposed culmcn .80-.95, tarsus 1.05-1.12. Eggs .95 X -66. ITab. South- 

 western border of United States, from southeni Texas to coast of southern 

 California, and south into northern and central Mexico (as far as Guana- 

 juato, Guaymas, etc.) 713. H. brunneicapillus (Lafr.). Cactus Wren. 



a'. All the tail-feathers, except middle pair, barred with white for their whole 

 length ; flanks white or very pale buff, marked with large rounded or tear- 

 shaped spots of black ; throat and chest usually not more heavily or con- 

 spicuously spotted with black than other lower parts ; top of head usually 

 burnt-umber brown, sometimes almost chestnut ; length 7.50-8.00, wing 

 3.35-3.50. tail 3.20-3.40, exposed culmen .80-.90, tarsus 1.12-1.20. Eggs .95 

 X .66. Mab. Southern portion of Lower California. 



(87.) 714. H. affinis Xantus. St. Lucas Cactus Wren. 



Gencs SALPINCTES Cab.\nis. (Page 540, pi. CXXI., fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Common Characters. — .Adult : Above grayish brown, more or less speckled 

 (usually sparse!}-) with dusky, the rump light cinnamon, the tail with largo 

 blotches of black and pale cinnamon, except middle feathers, which are narrowly 



> BtUodft€iCABAS.,Haa.Ee\D.i.\SaO,SO. Ty pe, /'urnariu* jiri<eu« SwAi.xs. ((/. Palmer, Auk, z. 18S3, 86.) 



