558 ^'ORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



a'. Lowei' parts pale brownish graj-, becoming white only on chin and throat ; pri- 

 niarj- coverts usually (always?) without whitish tips; rump deep rusty, 

 almost chestnut, and colors throughout verj- dark, the prevailing color of 

 upper parts dark sepia-brown ; length about 4. 80-5. GO, wing 2.55-2.60 (2.58), 

 tail 2.65, culmen .70-.73 (.71), bill from nostril .42-.48 (.44), tarsus .58-.60 

 (.59), hind-toe .30-.35 (.32), hind-claw .30-.35 (.32). Hab. Highlands of Gua- 

 temala and Mexico, north into southern Arizona. 



72Grt. C. familiaris alticola Miller. Mexican Creeper. 



Family PARIDiE.— The Nuthatches and Tits. (Page 322.) 



Genera. 



(('. Bill slender, long as the head; hind-toe longer than middle toe; tail much 

 shorter than wing, varied with white and blaek. (Subiamilj- Sitthiw.) 



Sitta. (Page 559.) 

 rt'. Bill stouter, much shorter than the head; hind-toe shorter than middle toe; 

 tail equal to or longer than wing, plain-colored. 

 6'. Nostrils concealed by feathers ; tarsus with anterior covering scutellate on 

 outer side ; tail graduated for much less than half its length. (Sub- 

 family Purince.^) 

 c'. Bill with either the culmon or the gonys (sometimes both) decidedly 

 convex ; nostrils wholly concealed ; plumage very lax. 

 (IK Tail not conspicuously longer than wing, rounded. 



Parus. (Page 560.) 

 (P. Tail consiiicuously longer than wing, graduated. 



Psaltriparus. (Page 564.) 

 c'. Bill with both culmen and gonys nearlj^ straight, the tip acute; nos- 

 trils partially exposed; plumage compact.. Auriparus. (Pago 565.) 

 6'. Nostrils entirely exposed ; tarsus with anterior covering fused or booted 

 on outer side; tail graduated for about half its length. (Subfamily 

 ChamceincE.) Chamaea. (Page 566.) 



(.75), bill from nostril .40-.52 (.46), tnrsiis .5S-.60 (.50), hind-loo .2S-.30 (.2!>). hind-claw .30-.35 

 (.33). Egg» .59 X .46. Bab. Rocky Mouiitiiin dtstrict, north to Alnska, west to Nevada, etc. 



72G&. C. familiaris montana Rincw. Sooky Uountain Creeper. 

 (Cerlhia montana RiDGW., Proo. U. S. Nat. Miis. v. July ,S, TS82, 11 J.) 

 a'. Darker and more rusty in general cast of plumage, the lateral lower i>art3 more or le.^s (often strongly) 

 tinged with brownish, streaks on upper parts more brownish (often decidedly tawny), the rump more 

 rusty, superciliary stripe more brownish (often bright tawny), and wing-markings decidedly buffy. 

 Wing 2.40-2.50 (2.47), tail 2.30-2.70 (2.15), culmen .BS-.80 (.72), bill from nostril .42-.50 (.44), tarsus 

 .55-.65 (.59), hind-toe .28-.32 (.30), hind-claw ,30-.35 (.32). Eijt), .61 X .4S. //.•*. Pacific coast 

 of North America, from southern California (in mountains) to Sitka. 



726c. C. familiaris oooidentalis Rinnw. Californian Creeper. 

 (Cerlhia ocddentalit Rincw., Proc. U. S. Nnt. .Mus. v. .Inly 8, ISS2, 11.^.) 

 ' I have been obliged to o^ssign different limits to the subfainiliea I'minn and Chnmiriim from those given 

 in the A. 0. V, Check List, on account of the impossibility of giving characters which would cover the ex- 

 tremely different genera there inadvertently placed under Chamitinir. The latter properly includes only Chnmitn ; 

 and it is extremely doubtful whether this genus has any real affinity with the I'tiridir, its relationship being 

 probably much noaror to the Troglodytidm, 



