TROGLODYTID.E — THE WRENS — CA^klPYLORHYNCHLSTiE. 59 



out careful search, the cry having tlie property of seeming quite distant from 

 the Ijinl itself. lu March I have heard from them a faint Ijut exceed- 

 ingly sharp-toned song, somewliat resembling that of a wren. 



The nest and eggs of our species have not yet been described ; but the 

 Eastern bird, wliich it so much resembles, is said by Au(hibon to seek out 

 the deserted hole of a woodpecker, scpiirrel, or an accidental cavity in a tree, 

 where it makes a nest of grass and lichens, warmly lined with feathers, and 

 lays seven or more eggs of an ashy-white, marked with small reddish-yellow 

 dots. 



Family TEOGLODYTID^, The Weens. 



Chae. No bristles along the gape ; the loral featheis with bristly points ; 

 the frontal feathers generally not reaching to the nostrils. Xostrils varied ; 

 exposed or not covered Ijy feathers, and generally overhung Ijy a seale-like 

 membrane. Bill usually without notch. Wings much rounded, about ecj^ual 

 to tail, which is graduated. Primaries ten, the first generally about half the 

 second. Basal joint of middle toe usually united to half the basal joint of 

 inner, and the whole of that or more to the outer. Lateral toes about equal, 

 or the outer a little the longer. Tarsi covered with transverse scales in 

 front. 



This family is quite characteristic of America, where it is universally dis- 

 tributed, few being found in the Old World. An unusually large proportion 

 of the species of the United States extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 

 although in the extremes of their distribution exhibiting slight permanent 

 variation from each other. 



Sub-Family CAMPYLORHYNCHIN.E. 



Chae. Tad plane ; nearly even, or slightly rounded, the first and second 

 feathers shghtly graduated ; the feathers very broad, tlie longest with the 

 width about one fifth the length. Size medium. 



Of this group of wrens but two species are found within the limits of 

 North America. While, howe\'er, many belong to ^Middle and South 

 America, none have yet been detected in the West Indies. The species 

 are much the largest of the Troijlodytidce, although having, to a con- 

 siderable extent, the same habits. 



