Rock-Wren 485 



Family TROGLODYTID-^. 



The Wrens are all small birds, seldom exceeding six 

 inches in length, with generally rather long, slender bills, 

 without rictal bristles, and exposed nostrils ; wing rather 

 short and rounded, of ten primaries, the tenth (outer) 

 about half the length of the ninth ; tail moderate, of twelve 

 feathers ; tarsus scutellPvte, often behind as well as in 

 front. 



Kky of the Genera. 



A. Tail equal to or longer than the wing ; only the middle tail- 



feathers barred, the others chiefly dasky. Thryomanes, p. 490. 



B. Tail shorter than the wing. 



a. Outer toe distinctly longer than the inner one. 



a^ Culmen shorter than the tarsus. Salpinctes, p. 485. 



b^ Culmen longer than the tarsus. Catherpes, p. 487. 



b. Outer toe not distinctly longer than the inner one. 

 a^ Back plain or faintly transversely barred. 



a" Tail at least ^ of wing. Troglodjrtes, p. 491. 



b^ Tail less than f of wing. Nannus, p. 493. 



b^ Back streaked with white and black. 



a^ Bill shorter, culmen less than middle toe and claw. 



Cistothorus, p. 494. 

 b^ Bill longer, culmen exceeding middle toe and claw. 



Telmatodytes, p. 495. 



Genus SALPINCTES. 



Bill about as long as the head, slender, slightly deciu-ved and acute, 

 the culmen shorter than the tarsus ; no rictal bristles ; nostril large, 

 rather conspicuous with an overhanging scale ; wing rounded but 

 longer than the tail, which is even and has twelve feathers with rounded 

 ends ; tarsus scutellate anteriorly and posteriorly ; outer toe slightly 

 longer than the inner one. 



One species only in the United States. 



Rock-Wren. Salpinctes obsoletus. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 715 — Colorado Records — Say 23, Vol. ii., p. 4 ; 

 Allen 72, pp. 148, 161 ; Trippe 74, p. 230 ; Henshaw 75, p. 179 ; Minot 

 80, p. 225 ; Drew 81, p. 88 ; Allen & Brewster 83, p. 154 ; Drew 85, p. 15 ; 

 W. G. Smith 86, p. 17 ; Beckham 87, p. 123 ; Morrison 88, p. 72 ; 

 Kellogg 90, p. 89 ; Nixon 90, p. 21 ; Lowe 92, p. 101 ; 94, p. 269 ; 01, 



