58 PAEID^. 



members of the genus are all of small size, and are distinguishable from Parus by 

 their long graduated tails, in which respect they approach the Old- World genus 

 Acredula. 



1. Psaltriparus melanotis. 



Parus melanotus, Sandbach, Rep. Brit. Assoc, iv. p. 99 (1837, descr. nulla)'. 



Farus melanotis, Hartl. Rev. Zool. 1844, p. 216°. 



Psaltriparus melanotis, Scl. P. Z. S. 1858, p. 299', 1864, p. 172*; Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 84'; 

 Salv. Ibis, 1866, p. 190"; Sumichrast, Mem. Best. Sec. N. H. i. p. 544'; Duges, La 

 Natm-aleza, i. p. 140'; Baird, Brew. & Ridgw, N. Am. B. i. p. 108'; Salv. Cat. Strickl. 

 CoU. p. 66 ". 



Psaltria personata, Westermann, Bijdrag Dierk. i. p. 16, t." 



Psaltriparus personatus, Bp. Compt. Rend. xxxi. p. 478". 



Supra fusco-brunneus, pileo toto plumbeo ; alis et Cauda dorso fere concoloribuis paulo" cinerascentioribus, capitis 



lateribus cum mento nigris ; subtus rufescenti-albidus, gutture canescente ; rostro et pedibus nigris. Long. 



tota.4-0, alss 1-95, caudse rectr. mad. 2-2, rectr. lat. 1-7, tarsi 0-62. (Descr. maris ex La Parada, Mexico. 



Mus. nostr.) 

 $ mari similis, sed loris et genis pallide brunneis nee nigris (cervicis posticis lateribus tautum nigris) 



distifiguenda. Iride, ave vivo, pallide straminea. (Descr. fern, ex Voloan de Puego, Guatemala. Mus. 



nostr.) 



Hah. Mexico ^ i", Guanajuato (Bugds ^), La Parada [Boucard ^), Cayuilalpam {Salle ^), 

 valley of Mexico {White^, le Strange), alpine region of Vera Cruz [Sumichrast'^) ; 

 Guatemala 2, Solola^, Godines, Volcan de Fuego, San Lucas (O.S. & F. D. G.). 



This species, though previously indicated as an inhabitant of Mexico^, was first 

 actually described from Guatemalan specimens ^, where it is confined to the district of 

 the Altos, being found in most of the higher ranges of the Cordillera, between 7000 and 

 9000 feet above the sea. We observed it at several places in this region, between the 

 hills near Solola and the highest part of the road leading from the city of Guatemala 

 to Antigua. In its habits Psaltriparus melanotis much resembles Acredula caudata of 

 Europe. A small party of birds usually associate in a flock and fly from tree to tree, 

 one bird following another at short intervals. When congregated in a tree they are 

 restless like other Pari, and search the leaves and branches assiduously for food. In 

 Mexico the species seems to be also confined to the highlands. Prof. Sumichrast puts it 

 down as an inhabitant of the alpine region of the State of Vera Cruz, being found in 

 the mountains of San Diego at an elevation of over 6000 feet ^ M. Boucard also found 

 it in the higher parts of the State of Oaxaca. Though included by Messrs. Baird, Brewer, 

 and Kidgway in their work on the birds of North America ^, no specimens have as yet 

 been obtained in that country ; but Mr. Eidgway, when in the Humboldt Mountains of 

 Nevada, saw what he believed to be birds of this species. In life the iris of P. melanotis 

 is pale straw-colour. 



