WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. 445 



717. Catherpes mexicanus albifrons (Giraud). White- 



THKOATED WrEN. 



Like conspersus, but larg-er and darker ; upper parts from dark rusty to 

 sepia ; wings barred with rusty. Length : (3.00-0. ."JO, wing 2.40-2.90, tail 

 2.80-2.45, exposed culmen .T0-.l)5. 



Distribution. — Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and northeastern Mexico. 



717a. C. m. conspersus Ridgw. Canyon Wken. 



Adults. — Brown except for white throat and breast; upper parts light 

 brown, grayish on head, speckled with 

 white and blackish; tail rusty brown, 

 crossed by narrow black bars ; belly dark 

 rusty brown. Young : essentially like 

 adults, but usually without white specks ^'&- ^"*^- 



on upper parts or posterior under parts, which are. instead, mottled, more 

 or less, with dusky. Length : 5.50-5.75. wing 2.20-2.40, tail 2.00-2.40, 

 exposed culmen .70-85. 



Distribution. — Great Basin and Rocky Mountain region from the Sierra 

 Nevada and Cascades east to Colorado, and from Idaho south to Aguas 

 Calientes, Mexico ; breeds nearly throughout its range and is resident in 

 the southern parts of its United States distribution. 



Nest. — In crevices of rocks, on ledge in tunnel or cave, or about build- 

 ings, made with thick soft walls covered with green moss. Eggs : 3 to 5, 

 white, spotted chiefly on larger end with reddish brown and lilac gray. 



Sometimes, as at Austin, Texas, canyon wrens will stray into cities 

 and sing from the chimney tops with the mockingbirds, and when 

 tBey do, what cool, grateful canyon memories they awaken in the 

 midst of the town ! When heard afterwards on their own native 

 canyon cliffs it seems impossible that they could ever sing in a city, 

 their song is so attuned to the wild mountain fastnesses. 



The bit of a wren may be on a ledge so high above your head that 

 you pick him out among the rocks only by the round white spot 

 which is his throat and which shows as his head is thrown back to 

 sing, but yet his voice is so powerful that the canyon fairly rings 

 with his song. What joyous notes ! They soiuid as if his happi- 

 ness were so great that he needs must proclaim it. His song comes 

 tripping down the scale growing so fast it seems as if the song- 

 ster could only stop by giving his odd little flourish back up the 

 scale again at the end. The ordinary song has seven descending 

 notes, but often, as if out of pure exuberance of happiness, the wren 

 begins with a run of grace notes, ending with the same little flourish. 

 The rare character of the song is its rhapsotly and the rich vibrant 

 (juality which has suggested tlie name of bugler for him, — and a 

 glorious little l)uiil<T he surely is. 

 717b. C m. punctulatUS Ridgw. Dotted Canvo.n When. 



Similar to conspersus., but smaller and l)ill .shorter, and more thickly 

 spotted on back. 



Distribution. — Oregon and California west of tlu' C.-iscades and Sierra 

 Nevada to Lower California ; resident from southern California southward. 



