62 CEETHIIDiE. 



obscure corylinis. long, tota 5-1, alee 2-45, caudse 2-5, rostri a rictu 0*7, tarsi 0-55. (Descr. exempl. ex 

 Yolcan de Fuego, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Eah. Mexico, Eanclios de Suapam {8allP), La Parada^ and Cinco Sefiores^ [JBoucard), 

 Jalapa {de Oca % Orizaba {le Strange), Moyoapam, Popocatepetl, Peak of Orizaba 

 (Sumichrast ®) ; Guatemala, Volcan de Fuego '', Totonicapam, ridge above San 

 Gerdnimo to Chilasco 7 (0. S. & F. D. G.). 



Though included in several works on North-American birds ® ^^, CertUa meocicana 

 does not seem to have ever been found so far north ; nor have v?e any record of its 

 existence except in the higher mountains of Southern Mexico and Guatemala. As a 

 species we are disposed to consider it quite distinct, a position that has of late not 

 always been conceded to it ^ ^^. Granting that Certhia americana of North America 

 is inseparable from the European C. familiaris, C. mexicana seems to be always distin- 

 guishable by its altogether darker colouring, the richer chestnut of the rump, and the 

 colour of the under surface, which contrasts strongly with the white under-plumage 

 of its congener — differences which we have never, so far as the Guatemalan specimens 

 are concerned, seen destroyed by examples of intermediate character. This view is not 

 quite in accordance with that adopted by Mr. Dresser in his ' Birds of Europe,' where 

 he unites the Mexican and North-American birds with Certhia familiaris, whilst he 

 admits the distinctness of the Guatemalan bird. An examination of more Mexican 

 specimens than we possess would settle the point; in the meantime our view is probably 

 most in accordance with fact. 



In Southern Mexico Certhia meocicana seems to be exclusively found in the higher 

 mountains. Prof. Sumichrast including it amongst the birds of the alpine region of the 

 State of Vera Cruz, being found on the lofty volcanoes of Orizaba and Popocatepetl ^. 

 In Guatemala we only found it in districts where extensive tracts of pine trees grow, 

 such as the upper part of the Volcan de Fuego, at an elevation of from 10,200 feet to 

 between 11,000 and 12,000 feet, and also near Totonicapam, as high as 10,000 feet. 

 In Vera Paz we found it at a much lower elevation, amongst the pine trees on the spur 

 of the range overlooking the plain of San Gerdnimo, where the Indian ruins which 

 now go by the name of Pueblo Viejo stand, which are less than 4000 feet above the 

 sea. Near the same district we also found it at Santa Barbara, and in the pine-forests 

 on the road to Chilasco, at an elevation of about 6000 feet. 



The habits and notes of the species seemed quite to resemble those of the well- 

 known European bird. 



Pam. TROGLODYTID-ffiJ. 



CAMPYLOKHYNCHUS. 



Campylorhynchus, Spix, Av. Bras. i. p. 77 (1824). 



Heleodytes, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. i. p. 80 (1850) . (Type Formicarius griseus, Sw.) 



There are seventeen or eighteen species in this genus, all having a general structural 



