1S2 



SONG-SPARROW— CHAT— TITMICE— VIREOS-WRENS- THRASHERS. 



Black-crested, Black-tufted, or Texas Titmouse. 



cristatus.) 



Fig. i5- 



{Lophophanes atri- 



The valley of the Rio Grande, thence south into San Antonio, 

 Texas, is the residence of this species. It was first met with by 

 Mr. Audubon, in Texas. In its habits and general appearance it 

 is similar to the common Crested or Tufted Titmouse {Lopkopha- 

 nes bicolor), Plate XXXIII, fig. 2, page 30. 



Black-headed or Black-capped Vireo. ( Vireo atricapillus.) 



Fig. 16. 



This very rare species has Southwestern Texas, and Mazatlan, 

 Mexico, as its place of habitation. Very little is known regarding 

 its habits. It was first discovered, by Dr. Woodhouse, May 26, 

 185 1, in Western Texas, on the Rio San Pedro, within ten miles 

 of its source. He found it among some cedars, and was attracted 

 by its very singular notes. It was in continued motion, like a 

 Wood Warbler, and was by him first supposed to be one of those 

 birds. 



Hutton's Vireo. ( Vireo huttoni.) 



Fig. 17. 



This species was first described by Mr. Cassin, in 1851, from a 

 specimen obtained in Monterey, California ; in which State, and 



Oregon, or Gray Song-Sparrow. {Mclospiza melodia, var. guttata.) 



Fig. 12. 



This variety is an inhabitant of the Pacific Coast, United States, 

 and British Columbia. Dr. Cooper characterizes this species as 

 the most northern and mountain-frequenting representative of the 

 Song Sparrows, being a resident of the higher Sierra Nevada, and 

 on the borders of the evergreen forests toward the Columbia, and 

 thence northward, where it is the only species of this genus, and 

 where it is common down to the level of the sea. Their habits 

 and song are similar to the common Song Sparrow of the East. 



Western, or Long-tailed Chat. {Ictcria virens, var. longicauda.) 



Fig. 13- 



This variety of the common Yellow-breasted Chat, Plate LXIV, 

 fig. 9, page no, has an exclusively western distribution, and has 

 been found from Mexico and Cape St. Lucas to Oregon, on the 

 Pacific Coast, and as far east as the Upper Missouri. The habits 

 and notes of these birds are alike. 



Western Titmouse, or Chickadee. {Partis atricapillus, var. occidenta- 

 lism 



Fig. 14. 



The Pacific Coast variety of the common Titmouse, or Black- 

 capped Chicadee, Plate XXXII, fig. 4, page 42. This little bird 

 is mostly found frequenting low thickets and trees in Oregon and 

 Washington Territory. During winter it is found common near 

 the Columbia river in the northern part of California. Its food 

 consists of seeds and insects, it is also fond of fresh meat, fat, and 

 crumbs of bread. 



in the Valley of Gila, and in the northern and eastern portions of 

 Mexico, it has been found. Dr. Cooper states that it resembles 

 the Ruby-crowned Wren very closely in appearance and habits. 

 Its song consists of a few short and quaint notes. 



White-bellied Wren. {Thryothorus bewickii, var. leucog-asler.) 

 Fig. 18. 



This bird is the Southwestern United States and Mexican variety 

 of our eastern species known as Bewick's Wren, Plate LXXI, 

 fig. 6, page 102. 



Long-billed Thrush ; Texas Thrasher. {Harporhynchus rufus, var. Ion- 



giroslris^) 



Fig. 19. 



A variety that represents the Brown Thrush {Harporhynchus 

 rufus, Plate LXXII, fig. 8, page 109, in Eastern Mexico, north 

 to the Rio Grande, Texas. 



Leconte's Thrush, or Thrasher. {Harporhynchus redivivus, var. le- 



contei.~) 



Fig. 20. 



This is a comparatively new species, it was met by Dr. Leconte, 

 near Fort Yuma. Dr. Cooper found it common about the Mojave 

 river, near which place Dr. Coues obtained a specimen in 1865. 

 He found it on a dry plain covered with mosquits and cactus. It 

 was very shy and restless, fluttering hurriedly from one cactus to 

 another, until he at last shot it when it seemed to fancy itself hid- 

 den among the thick ponds of a large yueca. Its large, stout feet 

 admirably adapt it for its particularly terrestrial life, and it appar- 

 ently spends much of its life upon the ground, where it runs rap- 

 idly and easily. Its flight he describes as swift but desultory, and 

 accompanied by a constant flirting of the tail. 



Alaska Wren. {Anorthura troglodytes, var. alascensis.) 



Fig. 31. 



Very little is known of this new variety. Mr. Dall obtained it 

 on Amaknak Island. He found it abundant all the year round on 

 St.George's Island, and that it bred in May, building a nest of 

 moss in the crevices of the rocks, and, according to the Aleuts, 

 lay six eggs. 



Parkman's House Wren; Western Wood Wren. {Trogloditcs cedon, 

 var. parh??iani.) 



Fig. 22. 



This bird was first obtained by Mr. Townsend, on the Columbia 

 River, and described by Audubon in 1839. It is met with on the 

 plains from the Missouri to the Pacific. Its habits and character- 

 istics are the same as the common Eastern House Wren. Plate 

 LVI, fig. 7, page 83. 



