180 



NORTH AMKHKWN HUll)^. 



(JExrs MNIOTILTA, Vikim.ot. 



Mnidtiltii, ViKii.i.or, AnalvM-, 1M(>, \o. ^TyiH', Mittniilln nn-in, L.) 



Gkn. CuAK. (Iciu'ial lorm ^ylvicoliiit- ; lull ralhrr lonijr, compressed, shorter than the 

 head, w itli verv shvtit liflal l»risiles aii«l a shallow notch. Wiutrs consitU'ialilv louj/er than 

 the tail, which is slifrhtly rotiiided ; lirst quill shorter than second and third. Taisi rather 

 short; toes lon^'. middle one t'liMai to the tarsus: hind toe marly as l«)n^', the claw con- 

 siderahly shorter than its dij^'it. Color white, streaked Avith bUick. Xest on ground; eggs 

 white. bloCehed with red. 



This j^eiHis (litlei-s from other Sylvicoline.s in the elongation of the toes, 

 esjH'cially tlie hinder one, ])y means of which the sj)ecies is enahleil to move 

 np and ih>\vn the trunks of trees, like the true Creepers. But one species is 

 reeoonized as North American, altliough Nuttall descrihes a second. 



Mniotilta varia, Vikill. 



BLACK AND WHITE CSEEFIKO WABBLEB. 



Motncilhi vnriii. Linn. S. N. 1, 170(5, :3:Vi. L'trthia Vfiitn, Vif.ii.lot: Ai'DUbox. MniolilUi 

 rarin, Vikillot, (Jul. «>is. 1, 1>34, 270, \\. clxix. - Arnrnox. — Baikd, Birds N. 

 Am. 1>:»S, -235; litv. 1*;7. — SiLATKii, 1'. Z. S. ISoS, -298 (Oaxaca, Xalaiw) ; 1859, 

 363 (Xalaiui) ; 18:»5, 14:J (pMJgota) ; 18:»»», -ii'l (Cordova) ; 18«)4, 172 (City ofMix.). -- 

 In. Catal. lS»n, 2.'», no. 1«;2. — Scl. & .*^ vi.v. Ihis, 1>.".1>, 1(> ^(luateniala). — NewT(»n, 

 litis, 18.')1>, \\.\ (Santa Cm/; \viiit<rK — I'ai;. Jour. Ill, 47.'» (Cuba; winter). — Buy- 

 ant, Pr. Bost. S«M-. IS')!* (Bahamas: April 2U). — (Jossk, Birds Jam. 1:54 (Jamaica; 

 winter). — h>NEs, Xat. IVrmuda, 1>.'.!». 29 i(>it<)lMr>. - Cab. Jour. 18(»0, 328 (Costa 

 Ricak — I.AWi;r.N( K, Ann. N. V. Ly* . IsOl. 322 (Tanama li. H. ; winter). — Gi'ndl. 

 Cal>. J<»urn. IStJl, 32»> (Cuba; vi-ry common). (Vrthia macu/nfti, Wii-S. Mniofilhi 

 horcnlis, Xi'TT. MitintiUti rarin, var. hnnjirof^ris, B.vikd, Birds N. Am. 18."<8, xxxi, 

 no. 1«">7. — in. Catal. in 8vo, 18fi9. no. 1«>7. 



Figures: Arn. Orn. Biog. V, pi. xc : Birds Am. II, i»l. oxiv. — Wilsun, Am. Orn. Ill, 

 1>1. xix. 



Sp. Char. Rill with the upper man(hble consiih^rably decurved. the lower straight. 



General color of the male black, the feathers broadly 

 edged with white; the head all round black, with a 

 median stripe in the crown and neck above, a super- 

 ciliary and a nnixillarv one of white. Middle of belly, 

 two conspicuous bands on the wing.s outer edges of 

 tertials and inner of all the wing and tail feathers, and 

 a spot on the inner webs of the outer two tail-feathers, 

 whiti'. Uunip and upper tail-coverts black, edged ex- 

 ternally with white. Female similar ; the under parts 

 white, obsoletely streaked with black on the sides and 

 un<ler tail-coverts. Length, 5 inches ; wing. 2.8') ; 



Mniotilta varia, Wv'iW. , ., , .,_ 



X.i\\\. '1.1^. 



Hab. Eastern Province of North America, and north to Fort Simpson. Both coasts 

 of Mexico (as far north as Mazatlan, on west side), and southward to Bogota. Whole 

 of West Indies and Bermuda. 



