162 BROWN CREEPER. 



Adult Female. Plate CCCCXV. Fig. 2. 



The Female is considerably smaller, and generally of a darker co- 

 lom-, but otherwise similar. 



Length to end of tail 5^ inches, to end of wings 4;^, to end of claws 

 4^ ; extent of wings 8 ; bill along the ridge ^|. 



The shafts and webs of the tail are somewhat undulated, so as to 

 give the appearance of their being barred with dusky. Yoimger in- 

 dividuals have the rump less red. Some have the lower parts almost 

 pure white, while in others they are dusky white, being soiled by mat- 

 ter rubbed from the trees. 



On comparing four fresh and several dried specimens shot near 

 Edinburgh, with eight dried specimens from America, one of which is 

 from the Columbia River, I can find nothing on which to found a spe- 

 cific distinction. 



The roof of the mouth is flat, but the mandible concave ; the poste- 

 rior aperture of the nares linear, margined with two roAvs of papillae. The 

 tongue is slender, deciirved, long, measuring 6^ twelfths, deeply emargi- 

 nate and papillate at the base, concave above, horny in the greater part 

 of its length, and tapering to a point. The oesophagus is 1 inch 8 twelfths 

 long, of moderate width, its average diameter 1^ twelfth, without di- 

 latation. The proventriculus is enlarged to 2 twelfths. The stomach 

 is a muscular gizzard, of a somewhat elliptical form, 5 twelfths long, 4^ 

 twelfths in breadth ; its lateral muscles very strong, the tendons of 

 moderate size ; the epitheliiun thin, tough, longitudinally rugous, red- 

 dish-brown. The contents of the stomach are remains of insects of 

 various kinds, and one large particle of quartz. The intestine is short, 

 being only 4^ inches long ; its greatest diameter 1 twelfth ; the rec- 

 tum is dilated ; the cceca, which come off" at the distance of 5 twelfths 

 from the extremity, are | twelfth long, and ^ twelfth in breadth. 



