BIRDS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 95 



extremes ; I have birds exhibiting every shade of color 

 between, but remarkably variable. 



Upon these inconstant characters does the specific value 

 of Americana rest ! Very pertinent then are the grave 

 doubts expressed by ornithologists as to its validity as a 

 species. The following is an accurate description of the 

 specific characters, with the more important synonymes, 

 and a table of comparative measurements. 



Troglodytes aedon, VIEILL. House Wren. 



Troglodytes aedon. VIELLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II. 1807, 32; PI. 



C VII. !B. Nouv. Diet. XXXIV. 1819, 506. 

 BONAP., Obs. Wilson, 1825, No. 136. 



RICH., F. Bor. Am. II. 1831, 316. 



- " AUD.. Orn. Biog. I. 1831, 427: V. 1839; PL 



LXXXIII. IB. Syn. 1839, 75. IB. Birds- 

 Am. II. 1841, 125; PI. VIII. 



" " BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 367. 



* " SAMUELS, Orn. and Ool. of N. Eng. 1867, 196. 



" " CouES,'Proc. Essex Inst. V. 1867, 278. 



Sylvia domestica. WILSON, Am. Orn. I. 1808, 129; PL VIII. 



Troglodytes fulvus. NUTTALL, Man. I. 1832, 422. 



" " RICH., List, 1837. 



Troglodytes Americanus. AUD., Orn. Biog. II. 1834, 452: V. 1839, 469 r 



PL 179. IB. Birds Am. II. 1841, 123; PL 

 119. IB. Syn. 1839,75. 



" " BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 368. 



" " COUES, Proc. Essex Inst. V. 1867, 278. 



SP. CH. Bill extremely variable in size, dark brown, 



u 



paler at the base of the lower mandible. Upper parts dark 

 brown, becoming more rufous on the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts ; middle of back and upper tail-coverts faintly barred 

 transversely with irregular lines of darker. The brown of 

 the back is exceedingly changeable; when it becomes light- 

 colored, these bars are almost, if not quite, obsolete ; wings 

 distinctly and more regularly barred transversely with 

 black ; tail reddish brown, irregularly but distinctly barred 

 transversely with black, sometimes this black has a lighter 

 edging ; under parts dirty white, becoming pale brown on 



