276 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PASSEBES—OSCINSS. 



showing obsolete wavy bars of dusky. Rump cinnamon-brown ; a whitish superoOiary line. 

 Beneath, soiled white, shading behind into pale cinnamon, the throat and breast obsoletely 

 streaked, and the under tail-coverts barred, with dusky. Quills of the wings rather darker than 

 the back, with similar markings on the outer webs. Middle tail-feathers like the back, with 

 many dark bars of equal width with the lighter ones ; lateral tail-feathers similarly marked on 

 the outer webs, plain on the inner webs, with a broad subterminal black bar on both webs, and 

 cinnamon-brown tips, the latter usually marbled with dusky ; outer feathers with several black- 

 ish and cinnamon bars on both webs. Bill and feet dark horn color, the former paler at base 

 below. Length 5.50-6.00; wing 2.60-2.80; tail 2.20-2.40 ; biU 0.66-0.75 ; tarsus 0.75-0.80. 

 Most of the markings blended and diffuse. Shade of upper parts variable, from dull grayish to 

 a more plumbeous shade, often with a faint pinldsh tinge. Specimens in worn and faded plu- 

 mage may fail to show the peculiar dotting with black and whitish ; but in these the cross- 

 wise dusky undulation, as well as the streaks on the breast, are commonly more distinct than 

 in fresher-feathered examples. The rufous tinge of the under parts is very variable in shade ; 

 that of the rump, however, being always well marked. Western U. S., E. to Iowa; common, 

 haunting rocky places, where it is conspicuous by its restlessness and loud notes ; nest of any 

 rubbish in a rocky nook ; eggs numerous, 5-8, of crystalline whiteness, sparsely sprinkled with 

 reddish-brown dots, 0.75 X 0.62. 

 21. CATHER'PES. (Gr. Ka6e(mris, Icatherpes, a creeper; Kara, kata, down, epna>, herpo, I creep.) 

 CaSon Weens. Bill singularly attenuate, about as long as head, nearly straight in aR its 

 outlines, with such direction of its axis that the bill as a whole appears continuous with the, 

 line of the forehead. Tarsus not longer than middle toe and claw, with tendency to subdivision 

 of the lateral tarsal plate. Lateral toes of unequal lengths, the outer longest. Wings and 

 tail as in Salpinctes, and general features, even to system of coloration, much the same as in 

 that genus. One known species, with several varieties. 

 66. C. mexica'nns. Mexican CaSon Wren. Similar to the form next described ; much darker 

 colored both above and below, with sharper contrast of the white throat ; the white speckling 

 mostly restricted to the back and wings ; the black tail-bars broader and more regular, and the 

 light markings of the wings mere indentations instead of complete bars. Bill straight, more 

 abruptly decurved at extreme tip. Feet stouter, dark brown. Size greater; length about 

 6.00; wing 2.80; tail 2.40; bill nearly 1.00 long, only about 0.12 deep at base. Specimens 

 vary much in sharpness and extensiveness of the speckling of the upper parts. In best-marked 

 cases, the spots quite white, almost lengthened into streaks, each one completely set in black ; 

 other examples, small, sparse and restricted, these specimens also showing wavy transverse in 

 bars of blackish. Mexico, to Texan border. 

 6T. C. m. consper'sus. (Lat. conspersus, speckled.) Speckled Canon Ween. <J ? , adult : 

 Upper parts brown, paler and grayer anteriorly, behind sliading insensibly into rich rufous, 

 everywhere dotted with ^mall dusky and whitish spots. TaU clear cinnamon-brown, crossed 

 with numerous very narrow and mostly zigzag black bars. Wing-quills dark brown, the outer 

 webs of the primaries and both webs of the inner secondaries barred with the color of the back. 

 Chin, throat, and fore breast, with lower half of the side of the head and neck, pure white, 

 shading behind through ochraceous-brown into rich deep ferruginous, and posteriorly obsoletely 

 waved with dusky and whitish. Bill slate-colored, paler and more livid below; feet black; 

 iris brown. Length about 5.50; extent 7.50; wing 2.30; tail 2.12; tarsus 0.60; bill 0.80. 

 Throughout New Mexico and Arizona, and portions of Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and 

 California ; N. to at least 40°. A remarkable bird, famous for its ringing notes, inhabiting 

 canons and other rocky places. Nesting and eggs like those of the rock wren ; eggs 5 or 

 more, 0.75 X 0.55, crystal white, fairly sprinkled and blotched with reddish -brown. 

 67a. C. m. punctula'tus. (Lat. ptmctulatus, dotted.) Dotted CaSon Ween. Smaller than 

 either of the foregoing : length about 5.00 ; wing 2.10; tail 1.90 ; biU 0.75. Coloration inter- 



