Gen. Char. General form sylvicoline; bill rather long, compressed, shorter than the head, with very short rictal bristles and a shallow notch. Wings considerably longer than the tail, which is slightly rounded; first quill shorter than second and third. Tarsi rather short; toes long, middle one equal to the tarsus; hind toe nearly as long, the claw considerably shorter than its digit. Color white, streaked with black. Nest on ground; eggs white, blotched with red.
This genus differs from other Sylvicolines in the elongation of the toes, especially the hinder one, by means of which the species is enabled to move up and down the trunks of trees, like the true Creepers. But one species is recognized as North American, although Nuttall describes a second.
Mniotilta varia, Vieill.
BLACK AND WHITE CREEPING WARBLER.
Motacilla varia, Linn. S. N. I, 1766, 333. Certhia varia, Vieillot; Audubon. Mniotilta varia, Vieillot, Gal. Ois. I, 1834, 276, pl. clxix.—Audubon.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 235; Rev. 167.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1858, 298 (Oaxaca, Xalapa); 1859, 363 (Xalapa); 1855, 143 (Bogota); 1856, 291 (Cordova); 1864, 172 (City of Mex.)—Ib. Catal. 1861, 25, No. 162.—Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, 10 (Guatemala).—Newton, Ibis, 1859, 143 (Santa Cruz; winter).—Cab. Jour. III, 475 (Cuba; winter).—Bryant, Pr. Bost. Soc. 1859 (Bahamas; April 20).—Gosse, Birds Jam. 134 (Jamaica; winter).—Jones, Nat. Bermuda, 1859, 29 (October).—Cab. Jour. 1860, 328 (Costa Rica).—Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lyc. 1861, 322 (Panama R. R.; winter).—Gundl. Cab. Journ. 1861, 326 (Cuba; very common). Certhia maculata, Wils. Mniotilta borealis, Nutt. Mniotilta varia, var. longirostris, Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, xxxi, No. 167.—Ib. Catal. in 8vo, 1869, No. 167.
Figures: Aud. Orn. Biog. V, pl. xc; Birds Am. II, pl. cxiv.—Wilson, Am. Orn. III, pl. xix.
Mniotilta varia, Vieill.
18685
Sp. Char. Bill with the upper mandible considerably decurved, the lower straight. General color of the male black, the feathers broadly edged with white; the head all round black, with a median stripe in the crown and neck above, a superciliary and a maxillary one of white. Middle of belly, two conspicuous bands on the wings, outer edges of tertials and inner of all the wing and tail feathers, and a spot on the inner webs of the outer two tail-feathers, white. Rump and upper tail-coverts black, edged externally with white. Female similar; the under parts white, obsoletely streaked with black on the sides and under tail-coverts. Length, 5 inches; wing, 2.85; tail, 2.25.
Hab. Eastern Province of North America, and north to Fort Simpson. Both coasts of Mexico (as far north as Mazatlan, on west side), and southward to Bogota. Whole of West Indies and Bermuda.