13^0 MNIOTILTID^, 



group in the elongation of the toes (especially the hind toe), enabling the species to 

 creep about the trunks of trees much like the Certhiidse or Sittidse. The single species 

 is a common North-American bird, which passes the winter months in large numbers 

 in Mexico and Central America. 



1. Mniotilta varia. 



Motacilla varia, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 333 '. 



Mniotilta varia, Bp. P. Z. S. 1837, p. 118 ^ Scl. P. Z. S. 1856, pp. 140 ^ 29r, 1858, p. 298', 



1859, pp. 363 ^ 373 ', 1864, p. 173 ' ; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 10 ' ; P. Z. S. 1864, p. 347 " ; 



Cab. J. f. Orn. 1860, p. 328 " ; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 322 ", viii. p. 174 ", ix. p. 93 " ; 



Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. ii. p. 269 " ; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 15 " ; Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 



p. 476"; Baird, Eev. Am. B. i. p. 167 ^^ Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 135 ^ 1870, p. 182"; 



Sumichrast, Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 546"; Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 292"; Baird, 



Brew. & Kidgw. N. Am. B. i. p. 180"; Coues, B. Col. Vail. i. p. 204'* ; Gundl. Orn. Cub. 



p. 63'°; Merrill, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 122'°. 



Supra nigra, dorso toto albo striate, stria verticali et altera utrinque per oculos duota albis ; alis nigris, fasoiis 

 duabus albis notatis, remigibus primariis anguste, secundaiiis late albis ; cauda nigra, reotricibus extimis 

 versus apioem albo notatis ; subtus alba, gutture toto et hypocbondriis nigro pervittatis ; rostro corneo ; 

 pedibus nigris. Long, tota 4-8, alse 2-7, caudse 2, rostri a rictu 0-65, tarsi 0-6. (Descr. exempl. ex Vera 

 Paz, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



$ aut avis junior subtus multo albicantior, genis, peotore et hypooliondriis nigro sparsim vittatis, (Descr. 

 femiuie ex Voloan de Fuego, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hah. Eastern Noeth Amkeica ^^^\ Texas ^^ ^^. — Mexico, Mazatlan {Grayson ^^), Colima 

 {Xantus^^), valley of Mexico {White^), Cordova (Salle ^), Jalapa (de Oca^), 

 Orizaba (Sumichrast ^\ le Strange), La Parada^, Juquila, and Totontepec (Boucard'^), 

 Guichicovi, Tehuantepec (Sumichrast ^^) ; British Hondueas, Belize (0. S?) ; 

 Guatemala ( Velasquez ^), Eetalhuleu ^^, Patio Bolas, Escuintla, Duenas i^, Volcan 

 de Agua, Volcan de Fuego, San Geronimo, Tactic, Coban, and Choctum (0. S. & 

 F. B. 0.) ; Costa Eica (Hoffmann i^), Punta Arenas (Bow ^®), Barranca, Juiz, 

 San Jose, and Angostura (Carmiol ^*), San Juan and Candelaria Mountains 

 (Frantzius ^2) ; Pastama, Chiriqui (Bridges ^, Hicks ^^, Arce ^% Santa Fe ^^, Chitra, 

 Cordillera del Chucu, and Calovevora (Arce ^o), line of railway (M'Leannan ^^ i"). 

 — Colombia ^4 ; Venezuela 2* ; and Antilles ^ ^S Cuba ^s &c. 



This is one of the commonest of the migratory Mniotiltidse in Central America 

 during the autumn and winter seasons, arriving there about the middle of August, and 

 leaving again in April. During these months it spreads over the whole country from 

 the sea-level to an altitude of some 7000 or 8000 feet. In its winter migration it 

 passes into South America ; and specimens not unfrequently occur in collections made 

 near Bogota. This is, perhaps, the most southern point of its range ; but it extends 

 eastwards through Venezuela and Trinidad. In the Antilles it has been noticed in all 

 the larger islands, and as far eastward as the island of Santa Cruz ; but it has not been 



