AURIPARUS. 565 



cP. Lighter colored, the back pale brownish gray, top of head rather 

 light smoky brown, lower parts pale smoky grayish ; length 

 about 4.00-4.50, wing 1.85-2.10 (1.94), tail 2.00-2.30 (2.18), tar- 

 sus .60-.67 (.63). Eggs .55 X -40. Hab. California, except 

 northern coast district. 



743a. P. minimus californicus RIDQW. Californian Bush-Tit. 

 c 2 . Back, etc., bluish ash-gray. 



d 1 . Top of head light smoky brownish, sides of head paler, etc., as in 

 P. minimus californicus; wing 1.85-2.00 (1.92), tail 2.10-2.30 

 (2.18), tarsus .60. Hab, Southern portion of Lower California. 

 7436. P. minimus grindae (BELDING). Grinda's Bush-Tit. 

 d 2 . Top of head bluish gray, and sides of head light smoky brown, 

 not conspicuously contrasted with gray of crown, etc. ; length 

 about 4.12-4.60, wing 2.00-2.15 (2.08), tail 2.35-2.50 (2.43), 

 tarsus .62-.70 (.66). Hab. Eocky Mountain district (chiefly 

 within Great Basin), from western Colorado and Wyoming 

 Territory to eastern Oregon and western Nevada, south to 

 New Mexico and Arizona. 



744. P. plumbeus BAIRD. Lead-colored Bush-Tit. 

 a 1 . Back light brown or grayish brown. 



Adult male: Side of head glossy black; top of head ash-gray. Adult fe- 

 male: Similar to male, but without black patch on side of head, the 

 black being replaced by light grayish brown (paler on malar region and 

 lores), except a streak along each side of occiput. Length about 4.00, 

 wing 1.90-2.00 (1.92), tail 2.10-2.20 (2.15), tarsus .62-.6S (.63). Hab. 

 Highlands of Guatemala and Mexico, north to Rio Grande Yalley. 



745. P. melanotis (HARTL.). Black-eared Bush-Tit. 



GENUS AURIPARUS BAIRD. (Page 558, pi. CXXIL, fig. 2.) 



Species. 



Adult male: Head, neck, and chest bright yellow, tinged with olive on crown, 

 the forehead sometimes tinged with orange ; lesser wing-coverts rich chestnut-red ; 

 rest of upper parts plain grayish, lower parts (except chin and throat) grayish 

 white or pale grayish. Adult female : Similar to male, but usually somewhat duller 

 in colors, the yellow confined to head alone. Young : Top of head and lesser wing- 

 coverts brownish gray, like rest of upper parts ; chin and throat dull grayish white, 

 like other lower parts. Length 4.00-4.60, wing 1.90-2.12, tail 1.75-2.05. Nest a 

 very bulky globular, flask-shaped, or retort-shaped structure, composed of sticks, 

 thorny twigs, coarse grass-stems, etc., lined with soft feathers, down, etc. ; the en- 

 trance a small circular opening in one end or side ; placed in thorny bushes, six 

 feet or less from ground. Eggs 3-6, .60 X -44, bluish or greenish white or pale 

 greenish blue, speckled, chiefly round larger end, with reddish brown. Hab. Arid 

 regions of northern Mexico and contiguous portions of United States, from southern 

 Texas to Arizona and Lower California 746. A. flaviceps (SuND.). Verdin. 



