8ITTA. 61 



Am. B. i. p. 88' J Sumiclirast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i.p. 544*; Baird, Brew. & Bidgw.N. 

 Am, B. i. p. 120' ; Coues, B. Col. VaU. i. p. 139". 



Supra cseruleo-plumbea, capite summo et nucha lateral! brunnescentibus, loris et regione parofcica paulo obscu- 

 rioribus, macula nuehali media alba ; subtus sordide alba ; alls nigris, secundariis intimis plumbeis, reUquis 

 plumbeo limbatis, primariis tertio, quarto et quinto ad basm albis et horum pogonio externo partim albo 

 limbatis ; rectricibus mediis dorso ooncoloribus, ad basin pro majore parte albis, reliquis nigris, duabus 

 extimis utrinque fascia obliqua alba notatis et caeruleo-plumbeo terminatis ; rostro plumbeo-nigro, ad 

 basin paHidiore ; pedibus nigrescentibus. Long, tota 3-7, alae 2-75, caudse 1"4, rostri a rictu 0-7, tarsi 0*6. 

 (Descr. exempl. ex Jalapa, Mexico. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Western N. Amekica, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific ^. — Mexico, Jalapa 

 {de Oca 2), Volcanoes of Orizaba and Popocatepetl (Sumichrast *). 



This small Nuthatch was originally described by Vigors from specimens obtained 

 at Monterey during the voyage of H.M.S. ' Blossom,' under the command of Captain 

 Beechey ^ ; and it has since been found to be very common in that locality and 

 throughout the western slope of the Rocky Mountains, from Washington Territory to 

 Southern California ^. In Mexico it was foxmd by de Oca ^, who sent specimens from 

 Jalapa, which were probably obtained at a higher elevation, as Prof. Sumichrast tells 

 us * that it is an inhabitant of the alpine region, ascending to the extreme limits of 

 vegetation on the volcanoes of Orizaba and Popocatepetl. The habits of S. jpygmosa 

 have been fully described by American writers ^ ^ ; but nothing concerning it in 

 Mexico has been recorded, 



Pam. CERTHIIDJ]. 



CERTHIA. 



Certhia, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 184 (1766). 



This small but peculiar genus contains five species *, whereof C. familiaris is by 

 far the best known, having the widest range, being found throughout Europe and 

 North America ; for it would now seem that C. americana is not really separable from 

 the Old- World bird. Three others are peculiar to the Himalayas, a fifth being found 

 in Mexico and Guatemala, southward of which points we find no trace of the genus. 



1, Certhia mexicana. 



Certhia mexicana, Eeich. Handb. spez. Orn, p. 266 (ex Licit. Mus. Ber.) ; Sol. P. Z. S. 1856, p. 290 ', 

 1858, p. 297', 1859, pp. 362', 372'; Baird, Eev. Am. B. i.p. 90'; Salv. Ibis, 1866, p. 190'; 

 Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H, i. p. 544'. 

 Certhia familiaris, var. mexicana, Baird, Brew. & Ridgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 128 ' ; Coues, B. Col. 



VaU. i. p. 146 ". 



Supra obscure fusca ; capite summo, cervice postica et interscapulio albido striatis ; uropygio Isete castaneo ; alis 



nigro-brunneis, primariis et secundariis albido bisectis fasciam alarem formante, pogoniis externis apicem 



versus albido marginatis, et plumis omnibus cum tectricibus alarum albo punctatis ; subtus fusco-albida, 



gula fere alba, crisso rufescenti tincto ; rostri maxilla nigrescente, mandibula ad basin flavescente ; pedibus 



* Cf. Dresser, ' Birds of Europe.' 



