CHARACTERS OF CHAM.EA FASCIATA 109 



Chamaea fasciata, Cub. Arcli. f. Naturg. 1818, Bd. i. \0-2.—Bp. CA. i. 1850, 206.— Bd. BNA. 



1858. 371).— Heerm. PRRR. x. 18.59, 4:?. 

 Chamca fasciata, Bd. Stansbury's Uep. GSL. 1852, 332.— Mien, Am. Nat. vi. 187:.', 350, 404. 

 Ground Wren, Wren-tit, Ground-tit, F«/°-. 



Hab. — Califoruia from the Sierra Nevada to the coast, from the Sacra- 

 meuto Valley to Sau Diego. 



Ch. SP. — S 2 OUvaceofusca, cnj)ite ohseuriore, alls caudmiue 

 obsolete transfasclatis ; infra paUide c'ninamomiiia, later ibus 

 crissoque obscur lor ibus, gnld et peetore obsolete fasco-striatis. 



Adult : Dark browu with an olive shade, the top of the head clearer and 

 somewhat streaky, the wiugs and tail purer brown, obscurely marked with 

 numerous cross-bars ; below dull cinnamou-brown, shaded with olive-brown 

 on the sides and cris.suin, .the throat and breast obscurely streaked with 

 dusky; bill and feet brown; iris white. Length about six inches; wing, 

 2i-2^ ; tail an inch longer, much graduated, the lateral feathers being au 

 inch or more shorter than the middle ones ; bill, -J^; tarsus, -^j ; middle toe 

 and claw, f. First primary nearly an inch shorter than the longest one. 



With a general purine a[ipearauca, this species, as indicated by the above 

 measurements, is of remarkable shape, quite uulike that of any other North 

 American bird. It was usually classed with the Pandw, until a separate 

 family was formed for its reception. The tail is very long, much exceeding 

 the wings, and forms rather more than half the entire length of the bird. 

 The wings are exceedingly short and rounded, the exposed portion of the 

 tirst primary being less than au inch in length. The plumage is reujarkably 

 long, soft and lax ; the culoratioa incouspicuouSf blended and diffuse. The 

 tarsal scutella tend to become fused, though a few large plates may com- 

 monly be observed in front. 



THE Wren tit is one of several interesting discoveries inatle 

 in Califoruiii by Dr. William Uambel,of Philadelpliia, whose 

 life left an example of bow much may be accom[)lishe(l in a 

 brief space of time by the wise use of natural gifts. He at 

 first called it a Parus, but, soon perceiving its strongly dis- 

 tinctive characters, conferred upon it the appropriate title of 

 Chamcva {yjifiM^ "on the ground"), in allusion to its terrestrial 

 habits. According to his accounts, which remain the most 

 accurate and pertinent of those which have thus far reached 

 me, I gather that its habits are quite Wren-like ; that it in- 

 habits shrubby and weedy places, is restless and active, expert 

 in eluding obversation, and clamorous in resenting intrusion 

 of its haunts, with harsh scolding notes; that it shares, further- 

 more, the very Wren-like way of holding the tail erect at times, 

 and nervously twitching it. He observed its manner of search- 

 ing for its insect food by scrambling sideways about the weeds 

 and bushes; and speaks of other notes it possesses more musical 



