ATJEIPAEUS. 59 



AURIPARUS. 



'Auripams, Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 85 (1864). {Type Mgithalus flaviceps, Sundev.) 



This genus, which contains but a single species, seems most nearly allied to Mgithalus, 

 differing from it in several points, especially in its short tarsi and its peculiar coloration. 

 Mr. Lawrence, who described the bird, as well as Sundevall, placed it in the genus 

 Conirostrum, a view which Dr. Coues * seems inclined to indorse. The presence of 

 the spurious primary, absent in Conirostrum, seems to preclude this view of its 

 aifinities if this character is of the value usually attributed to it. Auriparus is at once 

 distinguishable from all other American Paridse by its slender acuminate bill. 



1. Auriparus flaviceps. 



j^Egithalus flaviceps, Sundev. CEfv. Vet. Ak. Forh. vii. p. 129 \ 



Psaltria flaviceps, Scl. P.Z. S. 1856, p. 37". 



Auriparus flaviceps, Baird, Rev. Am. B. i. p. 85 'j Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. Ill *; 



Sennett, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1. p. 121'; MerriU, Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. iv. p. 6°. 

 Conirostrum ornatum, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. v. p. 112, t. 5. f. 1 '. 



Supra fuscus, alis et cauda obscurioribus ; capite toto flavo, pileo antico et fronte aurantiacis ; subtus sordide 

 albidus flavido vix tinctus ; roetro et pedibus nigris. Long, tota 3-7, alae 1-9, caudse 1*7, rostri a rictu 0-45, 

 tarsi 0'55. (Descr. maris ex Cape San Lucas, Lower Califomia. Mus. nostr.) 



Hob. North America, valleys of the Rio Grande ^ ^ and Colorado ^, Lower Califomia ^. 

 — Mexico, El Paso {Emory ^), Saltillo (Couch ^). 



This pretty species is quite unknown in Southern and Central Mexico, but occurs in 

 some numbers all along the northern frontier in the valleys of the Eio Grande and 

 Colorado, being specially abundant at Cape San Lucas in Lower California*. It breeds 

 throughout this district ; and its curious large nest, which is described as being shaped 

 something like a retort, has been noticed by most travellers in these regions. Except 

 as regards its nesting-habits, accounts of this species are rather scanty; but it is 

 described as having manners somewhat intermediate between those of the Tits and 

 Warblers, being, at the same time, usually very shy. 



Pam. SITTID-ffil. 



SITTA. 



Sitta, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 177 (1766). 



The genus Sitta comprises about sixteen species, whereof five are found in the conti- 

 nent of North America ; and of these, two enter our territory, being found in the high 

 mountains of Southern Mexico. Of the Old-World species five are variously distributed 

 throughout the Palsearctic Region, and six are found in the Himalayas, India and 

 Burmah, these last being the most highly-coloured of the genus, and one of them, 



* B. Col. VaU. i. p. 129. 



8* 



