446 WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. 



GENUS THRYOTHORUS. 



718. Thryothorus ludovicianus (Lath.). CAROLINA WREN. 



Wing" less than 3 ; tail not longer than wings, like hack in color. Adults. 

 Upper parts rusty brown ; crown bordered by an indistinct 

 blackish line and buffy white superciliary ; broad rusty 

 stripe back of eye ; wings indistinctly barred with rusty 

 and spotted with white : under parts varying" from white 

 on throat to tawny buff below. Young : crown blackish ; 

 under parts more cinnamon brown, with indistinct cross 

 lines. Length : 5.25-6.00, wing 2.18-2.50, tail 1.80-2.35, 

 exposed culmen .60-.70. 



Distribution. Upper and Lower Sonoran zones from the Atlantic to the 

 Plains and western Texas, and reported by Capt. Thorne from Montana ; 

 from southern Michigan south to the Gulf of Mexico ; resident nearly 

 throughout its range. 



Nest. Usually in woods, in holes in logs and rocks ; made of twigs, 

 grasses, and leaves, lined with feathers. Eggs : 3 to 6, white, pinkish, or 

 creamy, thickly speckled on or around larger end with reddish brown. 

 Food. Insects. 



GENUS THRYOMANES. 1 



General Characters. - - Wing less than 3 ; tail longer than wings, black- 

 ish, outer feathers tipped with white or gray ; white superciliary stripe 

 conspicuous. 



KEY TO THRYOMANES. 



1. Large, wing averaging 2.25. 



2. Upper parts reddish brown. Texas cryptus, p, 447. 



2'. Upper parts grayish brown. Texas to California. 



leucogaster, p. 447. 

 1'. Smaller, wing averaging 2.00-2.07. 



2. Bill averaging .50, upper parts dark sooty brown. California. 



spilurus, p. 446. 

 2'. Bill averaging .54-.S6. 



3. Upper parts dark, rich brown. Northwest coast region. 



calophonus, p. 447. 

 3'. Upper parts grayish brown. 



4. Under tail coverts heavily barred with black. Southern and 



Lower California charienturus, p. 447. 



4'. Colors paler, under tail coverts less heavily barred with black. 

 San Clemente Island leucophrys, p. 448. 



719a. Throymanes bewickii spilurus (Vig.). VIGORS WREN. 



Upper parts dark broicn, with a conspicuous u-hite superciliary ; tail with 

 middle feathers grayish brown, barred, only sightly contrasting with color 

 of back, outside feathers blackish, spotted and barred ; under parts gray, 

 sides and flanks tinged with brown. Length : wing 2, tail 1.96, exposed 

 culmen .50. 



Distribution. California west of Sierra Nevada and south to Santa 

 Cruz Island. 



Nest. Usually around buildings except in unsettled districts; bulky, 

 made largely of sticks and lined with feathers. Eggs : usually 5 to 7. 



1 See Oberholser's " Revision of the Wrens of the Genus Thryomaues."' Proc. U. S. 

 XaL Mm. xxi. 421-450. 1898. 



