134 NORTH AMKUICAN BIRDS. 



tiirsiis, 1.02; iiiidilli; toe imd claw, .00; daw almu', .25; liin<l too uiiil ilaw, .7l> ; elnw 

 alone, .1!."). 



IIau. Only ol)st'iv(Ml at Cape .St. Luoius, Lower Calilbrnia. 



Tliis species is most nearly allied to C. hrimiiiiciipilliin ; the most apparent 

 diflerence at first si<j[lit being in tlie greater concentration of black on the 

 throat and jngnlum in brumieirapillus, and tlie nuicli smaller size of the 

 remaining sj)ots on the under j)arts, with the dei^ided light -cinnamon of 

 the jKisterior jntrtion of tlie body. Tlie outer and centml tail-featliers alone 

 are niarked as in C. affink, the intermediate ones being entirely black, with 

 tlie e.\cei)tion of a white suliterminal band. 



This is one of the most characteristic birds constituting the isolated fauna 

 of Cape St. Lucas. Like nearly all the species peculiar to this n^markable 

 locality, it is exceedingly abundant, breeding in immense numbers. Tt has 

 not yet 1)een detected elsewhere, though it may possibly be found on the 

 Lower ("olonulo. 



Haiuts. Tliis recently described sjiecies was first discovered by Mr. 

 Xantus, and lias, so far as is known, a somewhat restricted locality, having 

 been met witli only at tlie southern extremity of Lower California, wliere it 

 is an exceedingly abundant bird. Mr. Xantus has jiulilished no oliservations 

 in regard to its habits, wliich, however, are jtrobably very nearly identical 

 with those of the more common species. From the brief memoranda given 

 by him in tlie genenil register of his collections, made at Cajie St. Lucas, we 

 gather that their nests were liiiilt almost exclusively in ojiuntias, cacti, and 

 tlie i)rickly ]iear, and were generally only four or live feet from the ground, 

 but occasionally at tlie height of ten feet. 



Tiie nests are large purse-sliajied collections of twigs and coarse grasses, 

 very similar to, and iiardly ilistinguishalile in any respect from, those of tiie 

 more northern species. The eggs vary from 1.(15 to 1 inch in length, and 

 from .()") to .7<l of an inch in breadth, and liave a reddisii-white ground very 

 uniformly dotted with fine markings of reddish-brown, jiurple, and slate. 



SiinoF.xrs SALPINCTES, <'.\ii.kms. 



s;i//iiiicfi:i, Cahams, Wicf^inann'.s .Vnliiv, 1S17, i, 'i'Si. (f)'l»', Truiihnhilt.s tihsuliiii.s. 

 Say.) 



(U.S. CiiAii. IJill n.< lonjr lis t lie head ; all tlie ontliiies iii-arly ."traifflit to tlie tip, then 

 deciirved ; nosli'ils oval. Keel weak: lafsi decidedly longer than liie middle loc; outer 

 lateral loc niiieli loni/er. reaelMiijr lo llie lia,<e of llie middle claw, ami ciiual lo lln' hinder. 



Winirs idioni one liflh lon).'er than ihe tail : ll xpo.^ecl porlion oi' lh<' lirst piimary ahont 



hair Ihat of llie s.'ccind, and two lil'lli.; Ihal of lln' lonrlli and tiflli. Tail-leal hi'r.>i very 

 hroad, |)lanc, lu'aily even or sliijlilly ronndcil; the lateral moilerately f,'nidiialed. 



Of this genus but one sjiecies is so far known in the United Slides, the 

 liack Av'reii of tiie I'lirlier ornithologists. It is peculiar among its cognate 



