.28 TROGLODYTID^ CATHEEPES MEXICANUS. 



■which scampered off while I was removing the rock." The eggs are four 

 to eight in number, measuring 0.72 by 0.60 inches, being thus much 

 rounded. The shell is white, of crystal purity and smoothness, very 

 sparingly sprinkled with minute dots of reddish-brown, chieiiy aggre- 

 gated at, or in a wreath around, the larger end ; but a few other specks 

 are commonly scattered over the whole surface. Such are the charac- 

 ters of two sets in the Smithsonian collection, from Fort Defiance, i!f. JM. ; 

 the description, it will be observed, differs from that given by Dr. 

 Cooper. 



Since writing the preceding I have received an interesting communi- 

 cation from Mr. T. Martin Trippe, who informs me of the common 

 occurrence of this species in Southwestern Iowa, where he states that 

 he saw or shot altogether some fifteen individuals during the month of 

 October, 1872. This occurrence, which Mr. Trippe meanwhile has pub- 

 lished, as above, gives «a decided extension to the previously known 

 range of the species. 



OATEERPES MEXICANUS, (Sw.) Bd. 



Mexican Wren; White-throated Wren. 



Thryofhmnis mexicanus, Sw., Zool. II]. i, 1829, pi. 11. 



SalpiiivfCK mexicanus, Cab., Wcig. Arcbiv, 1847, 324 ; Mns. Heiu. i, 1851, 78. — Bp., Consp. i, 

 1850, -21^4.— SCL., P. Z. S. 1857, ^12; 1858, 297 (Oaxaca). 



Troglodytes mejricanus, Ghay, Genera, i, 1847, 159. — Hekp.m., Journ. Phila. Acad. 1853, 

 263.— Cass., B. Cal. anil Tex. 1854, 173, pi. 30. 



Catherpes mexicanus, BD., B. N. A. 1858, 356; Rev. 1864, 111.— Kexn., P. R. R. Rep. s, 

 1859, pt. iv, 26.— Sci.., Cut. 1862, 18.- Couks, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1806, 77.— Sumich., 

 Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1809, 545 (Vera Crnz).— Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 66.— Aikex, 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. 1872, 196 (Middle Colorado).— Coites, Key, 1872, 85. 



Caiherpes mexicanus var. conspersus, IlJDGW., Am. Nat. vii, 1872, 2 (Northernjbrm). 



Tltryothorus gtdtulaius, Lafres., R. Z. 1839, 99. 



Ccriliia albijrons, Giuaud, B. Tex. 1841, pi. 8. 



" Troglodijies albicolUs, Cuv." 



" iroglodytes murarius, LiCHT." 



The above synonymy includes both the typical Mexican bird and the United States 

 race, which latter is appreciably different, as Mr. Ridgway has shown, and entitled to 

 rank as a geographical race. 



Hai. — ^Var. conspersus from the Southwestern United States, from Colorado {Aiken) 

 and Utah (SensMw). Typical mexicanus from Mexico to Vera Cruz. 



It is a matter of much interest that the known range of the White- 

 throated Wren, hitherto reported only from the United States border 

 and southward, should be extended to Colorado, as has lately beea 

 done by Mr. Aiken. Even in Arizona I only found it in localities lower 

 than Fort Whipple. I observed it in the southern and western portions 

 of that Territory, always in canons and other precipitous, rocky places. 

 The note of the species is one of the most striking I ever heard ; for a 

 bird of its size it sings with wonderful strength and clearness, uttering 

 a peculiar ringing whistle, the odd intonations of which are exaggerated 

 in the echos awakened among the fastnesses of the rocks. It is a very 

 active, sprightly bird, leaping and fluttering among the rocks almost in- 

 cessantly. Mr. Aiken found it in winter in Colorado, among large 

 masses of rock, on the faces of cliffs. Mr. Allen observes that "the 

 White-throated Wren is one of the most note-worthy birds of those re- 

 markable localities near Colorado City, known as 'Monument Park' 

 and the 'Garden of the Gods,' where alone I observed it in Colorado. 

 Equally with the Eock Wren, it is a lover of cliffs and bare rocky expo- 

 sures. Whenever it occurs, at least in the breeding season, its presence 

 is sure to be known by its loud ringing notes. At the localities above 

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