112 BROWN TREE-CREEPER. 



parts are reddish-brown, the head darker, the rump light brownish-red; all 

 the feathers with a central dull whitish streak. Wings deep brown, the 

 coverts tipped, the secondary coverts barred at the base with dull yellow, of 

 which a broad band in the midst of a brownish-black space crosses both webs 

 of the quills, excepting the inner webs of the outer four, and the outer webs 

 of the outer three; most of the quills have also a greyish-yellow patch along 

 the outer web toward the tip, which is dull white, the tail-feathers are yel- 

 lowish-brown, with shafts of the same colour, the webs darker toward the 

 end. A silvery white band passes over the eye; the cheeks are dark brown; 

 the lower parts are silvery -white, the sides tinged with brown. 



Length to end of tail 5-^ inches; to end of wings 4; to end of claws 4|; 

 extent of wings 8-|; bill along the ridge -f| , along the edge of lower mandible 

 ■^-f; wing from flexure 2 / 2 -; tail 2 T 9 2-; tarsus -ff; hind toe if, its clawyf; 

 middle toe ff, its claw ff . 



Adult Female. 



The Female is considerably smaller, and generally of a darker colour, but 

 otherwise similar. 



Length to end of tail 5-|- inches, to end of wings 4%, to end of claws 4j; 

 extent of wings S ; bill along the ridge f f . 



The shafts and webs of the tail are somewhat undulated, so as to give the 

 appearance of their being barred with dusky. Younger individuals have 

 the rump less red. Some have the lower parts almost pure white, while in 

 others they are dusky white, being soiled by matter rubbed from the trees. 



On comparing four fresh and several dried specimens shot near Edin- 

 burgh, with eight dried specimens from America, one of which is from the 

 Columbia river, I can find nothing on which to found a specific distinction. 



The roof of the mouth is flat, but the mandible concave; the posterior 

 aperture of the nares linear, margined with two rows of papillae. The 

 tongue is slender, decurved, long, measuring 6^ twelfths, deeply emarginate 

 and papillate at the base, concave above, horny in the greater part of its 

 length, and tapering to a point. The oesophagus is 1 inch S twelfths long, 

 of moderate width, its average diameter 1-^- twelfth, without dilatation. The 

 proventriculus is enlarged to 2 twelfths. The stomach is a muscular gizzard, 

 of a somewhat elliptical form, 5 twelfths long, 4^ twelfths in breadth; its 

 lateral muscles very strong, the tendons of moderate size; the epithelium 

 thin, tough, longitudinally rugous, reddish-brown. The contents of the 

 stomach are remains of insects of various kinds, and one large particle of 

 quartz. The intestine is short, being only 4j inches long; its greatest 

 diameter 1 twelfth; the rectum is dilated; the cceca, which come off at the 

 distance of 5 twelfths from the extremity, are -£ twelfth long, and \ twelfth 

 in breadth. 



