TI100L0DYTID.E — THE WREXS. 139 



Catherpes mexicanus, var. conspersus, Ridgway. 



CAiSrOK WHEN; WHITE-THBOATEI) BOCK WSEN. 



rroijhiilijles mr.nmintH, Hkkumann, .1. A. X. Sc. 2cl ser. II, 1853, 113. — In. P. K. R. Rt'p. 

 X, 18,")9, 41. —C'as.six, IlUi.st. IJinls Cal. 1, 1854, 17:', lil. xxx. Catherpes mexicanus, 

 Baii;|), Hii'ils X. Am. 1858, 350 (in imit) ; Hev. Ill (in i)ait). — Cuol'KU, Oni. Cal. 1, 

 1870, (it). Oallicrpcs viexiaoiKs var. con.ipcrsn.s, KlDUWAY. 



Sp. CnAii. (Xo. 53,425 ^, m.ar Fort Cliuicliill, X'ovada, December 7, 18()7; R. Ridg- 

 way). Above, brownisli-a.>ihy on the anterior, and bright cinnamoii-rulbii.s on the pos- 

 terior hair, tilt' two colors shading: in.'ieM.-iibly together. The anterior, or grayish portion 

 thickly s|)rinkl((l with nunieroii.s .small ciicidar dot.s of white, each preceded by a .smaller 

 speck of du.sky ; a few of the.se dot.s on the rump. Wings with obsolete, ragged, narrow, 

 isolated bars of dusky, these most sharply di'fnied on the secondaries. Tail clear rufous, 

 crossed with about nine very narrow, thread-like, .somewhat zigzag bars of blacTv, — these 

 about .02 wide on the middle, and .07 on the outer feather. Beneath, anterior third, pure 

 silky-white, .shading insensi1)ly into .soft ochraceous on the breast, this .soon darkening into 

 deep ferruginous, the color of all the posterior lower parts ; the whole of this ferruginous 

 surface, with very obsolete transverse spots of white, each ])reci'ded by a narrower dusky 

 one. Length, 5.75 ; extent of wings, 7.50 (fre.sh) ; wing, 2.48; tail, 2.1.'!; euhueu, .83 ; 

 tarsus, .50. Bill deep slate, paler, and with lilaceous tinge, at base of lower mandible ; 

 iris umber ; tarsi and toes black (fresh color.s). 



Hab. Centi-al region of North America, from boundary of United States northward. 

 Extends up Valley of Colorado. Western Nevada, resident ; Ridgwav. 



The above characters a)i])ly tn all .specimens of Catlurpea from north of 

 Mexico, as substantiated liy a suHicient series in the collection. It is a 

 remarkable fact that this northern race .should be so much smaller than tiie 

 Mexican one, especitilly in view of the fact that it is a resident bird in even 

 the most northern parts of its ascertained habitat. 



HA15IT8. The geoLfraiiliical distribution of this race of the Wliite-throatcd 

 Wren, so far as known, is confined to the line of the United States and 

 Mexican boundtiry, extending northward up the Valley of the Colorado, as 

 far as Western Nevada. Tlie corresponding Mexican race reaches some 

 distance southward, but has not yet been detected beyond the limits of 

 Mexico. The habits of both nices, however, are (^uite similar, as far as 

 known. 



Dr. Heermann first mot witli tliis Wren in the sjn-ing of 1851, on the 

 Cosumnef. iliver. In the following year he ]):'ocui'ed three specimens on the 

 Calaveras Kiver. He describes it as an active, sinightly bird, having a loud 

 and pleasing song that may be heard a great distance, and which it repeats 

 at short intervals. When found, it was occu|)ied with setirching for insects, 

 between and under the large boulders of rock that, in some })ortions of the 

 river, are thrown together in confused nuusses, as if by some terrific convul- 

 sion of nature. 



Dr. Kennerly also met with this species in similar localities among the 

 hills bordering upon the Big Sandy, where the rocks are also described 



