CATHEEPE8. 73 



Thriothorus guttulatus, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 99 ''. 

 Certhia albifrons, Girard, B. Texas, t. 18 ^\ 



Supra nigro-brunneus, pileo obscuriore ; dorso toto et cervicis lateribus albo nigroque stellate ; cauda rufa 

 nigro angnste transfasciata, supracaudalibus rufis nigro maculatis ; alls fuscis nigro obsolete transfasciatis ; 

 STibtus gutture toto albo, pectore mfo, ventre brunneo punctulis nigris albido terminatis notato ; rostro 

 obscure comeo, mandibulee basi albieante; pedibus nigris. Long, tota 5*5, alse 2-5, oaudse 2-1, tarsi 0-8, 

 rostri a rictu 1*1, (Deser. exempl. ex Tehuantepeo. Miis. nostr.) 



Hah. South-western parts of Central North Ambeica, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Texas ^, 

 &C.12 i3_ — Mexico i^, Tepic {Grayson ^^), Guadalaxara(G^rayso»^'', Buges^^), Guana- 

 juato (Duges ^^), Eeal del Monte (Morgan ^), Eio Coahuayana {Xantus ^), Mirador 

 (Sartorius '^}, Yuantepec {Beppe, Mus. BeroL), valley of Mexico {White ®, le Strange, 

 Svmichrast^), Orizaba {Botteri^), State of Vera Cruz {Sumichrast^), Oaxaca 

 {Boucard ^), Santa Efigenia, Tehuantepec {Sumichrast). 



Specimens of this Wren from America north of Mexico have been separated from 

 the Mexican bird by Mr. Eidgway as a geographical race under the name of Catherpes 

 mexicanus, var. conspersus ^^ ; the differences observable between the two being stated to 

 be the greater curvature of the bill of the northern bird, the head and neck above being 

 thickly marked with white spots, the colours of the under surface more blended, as well 

 as other minor points. The validity of these distinctions is confirmed by Dr. Coues ^^, 

 and, we have ho doubt, indicate that the northern bird is fairly constant in its characters. 

 But when Mexican examples are compared, we find great diversity both in the size of 

 the bill and in the coloration of the plumage. A specimen from Salle's collection 

 from Southern Mexico is barely distinguishable from one of Mr. Henshaw's specimens 

 from Arizona, whilst a Tehuantepec example exhibits all the characters attributed by 

 Mr. Eidgway to the true C. mexicanus. We possess other Mexican specimens which 

 are intermediate, having the bill of the southern bird and the plumage of the northern. 

 It would seem, then, that C. mexicanus is a variable species in Mexico, but that in the 

 northern parts of its range it is more constant in its characters. 



The Mexican bird was first described by Swainson in 1829 ^ from specimens obtained 

 at Eeal del Monte. Two years afterwards Lichtenstein named Deppe's birds as 

 Troglodytes murarius ^^, under which name the specimens still stand in the Berlin 

 Museum. Again, in 1839, Lafresnaye renamed it Thryothorus guttulatus ^^ ; and, lastly, 

 in 1841, Giraud included it amongst his sixteen birds of Texas, under the title of 

 Certhia albifrons ^^. All these names apply to the Mexican race. 



In North America C. mexicamus is usually found in the canons of the south-western 

 portion of the United States, which form so characteristic a feature in the physical 

 geography of that district ; and from this, its favourite resort, it is called the Canon 

 Wren ^^. But it by no means only frequents such barren localities, being also found 

 about walls and houses, where its familiar habits make it a general favourite ^ ^^. Its 

 song is described as a series of loud clear notes, uttered in a simple descending scale i^. 



BIOL. CENTB.-AMEB., Zool., Aves, Vol. 1, Feb. 1880. 10 



