TBOGLODYTIB^ : WRENS. 



273 



18. 



G2. 



62a. 



CER'THIA. (Lat. certhius, a creeper. Fig. 146.) Characters as above. The stock-form 

 of this genus varies according to locality. European varieties sometimes recognized are C. costce 

 and C. britamnica. The N. Am. bird, which is in- 

 separable from the European, -has been called G. 

 rufa, fusca, and wmericana, for Eastern specimens, 

 C. montana for those from the Eoeky Mt. region, 

 and C. ocddentalis for those from the Pacific coast 

 region. The Mexican form, C. mexicmia, differs 

 more appreciably, as below given. 

 C. famiUa'ris. (Lat. familia/ris, from farmlia, 

 family; domestic, home-like. Fig. 145.) Brown 



Creeper. $ ? : Upper parts dark brown, chang- pig. 146— Head, foot, and tail-feather of Cer- 

 to rusty-brown on the rump, everywhere '**"' °^'- ^^' 



ing 



(Ad nat. del. E. C.) 



Streaked with ashy-white. An obscure whitish superciliary stripe. Under parts dull whitish, 

 sometimes tinged with rusty on the flanks and crissum. Wing-coverts and quills tipped with 

 white, the inner secondaries also with white shaft-hues, which, with the tips, contrast with the 

 blaokish of their outer webs. Wings also twice crossed with white or tawny-white, the ante- 

 rior bar broad and occupying both webs of the feathers, the other only on the outer webs near 

 their ends. Tail grayish -brown, darker along the shaft and at the ends of the feathers, some- 

 times showing obsolete transverse bars. Bill blackish above, mostly flesh-colored or yellowish 

 below; feet brown ; iris dark brown. Length of $ 5.25-5.75 ; extent 7.50-8.00 ; wing 2.50 ; 

 more or less; tail usually a little longer than the wing, sometimes not so, 2.50 to nearly 3.00 ; 

 tarsus about 0.60 ; bill 0.65-0.75 ; ? averaging smaller than $. Temperate N. Am., in wood- 

 land, abundant, generally seen winding spirally up the trunks and larger branches of trees. 

 C. f . mexica'na. (Lat. of Mexico.) Mexican Creeper. Differs in lacking light tips of the 

 primary coverts, and general richer coloration, the brown more rusty ; rump bright chestnut ; 

 under parts grayish. Mexico, to S. W. border of the U. S. (Not in Check List, 1882 ; since 

 ascertained to inhabit Arizona.) 



6. Family TROG-LODYTID-^ : "Wrens. 



Embracing a number of forms assembled in 

 considerable variety, and difficult to define with 

 precision. Closely related to the last three fami- 

 lies ; known from these by non-acuminate tail- 

 feathers and exposed nostrils. Very intimately 

 resembling, in particular, the mocking group of 

 thrushes — those with scutellate tarsi and not 

 strictly spurious 1st primary ; but aU our wrens 

 are smaller than any of the Miminm, and other- 

 wise distinguished by less deeply cleft toes — as 

 stated on p. 248 ; " the inner toe is united by half 

 its basal joint to the middle toe, sometimes by 

 Pig. 147. —European Wren. (From Dixon.) the whole of this joint; and the second joint of 



the outer toe enters wholly or partially into this union, instead of the basal only." Nostrils 

 narrowly or broadly oval, exposed, overhung by a scale; bill moderately or very slender, 

 straight or slightly decurved, from half as long to about as long as the head, unnotched 

 in aU our genera; no evident rictal bristles; wings short, more or less rounded, with 10 

 primaries, the 1st short, but not strictly spurious ; tail of variable length, much or little 

 rounded, of broad or narrow feathers, often held over the back. Tarsi scuteUate, sometimes 



behind as well as in front. 



18 



