444 ROCK WREN.
after a lapse- o i g f e j v minutes -yon begin to. tear a ^ w cautious chirp,
and the next moment, at the head of thfe ratine," the old female probably
again appears, folding and jerkingittr^e-most angry attitudes
she ft capably of assuming. In the same rooky Retreats they are com-
»only «compamed by a kind of »»¡111 striped Ground Squirrel, like
that of the eastern- coast M many respects, ,hu* much Smaller, These
t f t lS ¡animals, which are nuA^ous, the White-chmned Buzzard, Buteo
tulyarvtof Hioharksox and S.»-aixson, Wid the Raven frequently hover
« - W d .pounce ujon. \\V met with this species 'as far west as the
lowest talks of the C o l umb ia or within a Con-mil.w of Fort Van Ootrn-r,
but amonf seeks, and cliffs as usual."
Trooxodvtks obsoleta, Say.
Mxothcha m o ima , n.Mr.m,,. AIR.cr. Oiuiih. vol. i. p . fl, ,,!. ijifc.®
,!"' liv WWiw Whknv XultaU, .Manual, v.,i. ¡,.,1,435.
Adult Female, Plate C.CCLX. Eig, 4.
Bill nearly as long a s ^ e head,,slender, slightly arched, icornprilsssd
toward the. (mil; upper mandible with the sides convex towards the end,
flat and decimate at the the edges shaj^ and overlapping,,with a
Xery slight notch close, to the decimate tip; lower mandibl,, will, the
angle long and narrow, the dorsal line very slightly concave, thel i tes
sloping outwards and concave, the,tip narrow. Nostrils qblong, basal,
with a cartilaginous operculum, open and bare.
, , Hga£ pblomgj n^ckjshort; body slender. Legs of ordinary length;
tarsus longer than the middle toe, compressed, with eight anterior distinct
scutella, and .two lateral' plates forming a sharp 'edge behind.
Tpes of moderate size, the third and fourth united at the base, the first
lajgp,, the outer ®pnsiderablyJ.Wfr than the inner. „„Claws rather
long, moderatoh arched, much compressed, witli.a» abruptly tapering,
very acute, tip..
Plumage soft and loose. Wings of moderate length, envex;, broad
!U"! ™undedp the flrst quill very short, the second a quarter of an inch
«hotter ftaa t||; third ; the fourth longest, .but scarcely exceeding the
¡third, and fifth, fail rather long, much roan,led, M twelve broad,
rounded, feathers.
Bill dusky, with the edges pale yellow. Iris hazel. Feet,¡dusky,
UBper parts light .lull yellowish-brown. ®«fs
exe^fetg ,the rump,
ROCK WREN. 445
transversely barred with greyish-brown ; the wings barred in the same
mannelli excepting the primaries, which are plain ; the Secondary coverts,
with a smatt white spot'ftéàir thè tip. Tail-coverts barred like
the back, as are the two middle tail-feathers ; the others broadly tipped
with pale yellowish-ivd, undulated with dusky ; behind which is a
broad band of brownish-Mack ; the: remaining or basal part banded like
the central feathers,, thè outer feather with four reddish-white spots or
bars on the ¡Outer web, the intervals being, brownish-black, and a spot
of ¡white on the ishner web. Tilt: lower parts are greyish-white, tinged
with sienna, the sides inclining to yellewish-red. The lower tail-coverts
are barred with brownish-black.
Length to end of tail 6 inches, wing from f'.exure 2 {-J ; tail 2: ; bill
along the ridge ; tarsus f*s
; hind toe T
4
2, its claw ; middle toe t
c
a,
its claw