TROGLODYTID.E — THE MREXS — TIIRYOTIIORUS. gg 



Thryothorus spilurus, Vigors. 

 THE WESTERN MOCKING-WKEN. 



Troglodi/tes spilurus, Vigors, Zool. Bcechcy's Voyage, 18; pi. iv. f. 1, 18.39. (California.) 



Troijlodtjies Ifucoijastra, Gould, Pr. Zool. Sue. 1836, 39. (Tamaiilipas, Mexico. ) 



lyiri/olliorus Biicic/cii, \ar. spilurus, Baied, P. R. Kep. IX. Birds, 363, 1858. — Troglodi/tcs 



BewicL-ii, Audubon, and other authors in reference to Pacific Coast hiril. — NEWiiERiir, 



P. R. Rep. VI. iv. 80. — HEEB-ii.iNN, X. vi. 41. — Cooper and Suokley, XII. iii. 



Zuul. of W. T. 189. 



Si>. Cll.\r.. Bill shortrr lliau tin/ lu'ad. Tail lonicer than the winj;? ; much graduated. 

 Ui)per parts grayish-olive or bruwu ; beneath, grayish-white. A white streak over the eye, 

 the feathers edged above with brown. Exposed suriiice of the wings and the innermost 

 tail leathers closely barred with dusky ; the remaining tail feathers mostly black, barred 



or blotched with wdiite at the tips, and on the whole outer web of the exterior feather, 

 and on the under tail coverts. Length, 5.50 ; extent, 7.00 ; wing, 2.25 ; tail, 2.50. L-is 

 brown ; bill brown, white, or yellow at base belo"W ; feet brown. 



Var. leucogaslra, colors paler, above and below ; bill and tail longer. 



Hab. Pacific Coast. Var. leucor/astni, east of the Sierra Nevada, and south into 

 Mexico. 



This species aljouiids throughout the wooded parts of this State and 

 northward, fre(pieiiting the densest forests as well as the more ojDen gToves. 

 During the winter a few lived in the vicinity of Fort Mojave, iDut left, 

 probably for the mountains, in April. They winter also, throughout the 

 mild regions towards the coast as far north as Puget's Sound, and do not 

 leave their homes even when tliere has been considerable snow. 



Though resembling closely the so-called mocking wrens of the Atlantic 

 side, I do not think that they really imitate other birds, though having a 

 great variety of songs, some of which resemble those of other birds, and are 

 well calculated to decei^'e one unaccustomed to them. I have often searclied 

 in vain ftn- some new bird, which I thought I heard singing ; and after 

 difficult scrambling tlirougli thickets in search of the author of the sound, 

 which retreated Ijefore me, at last caught a glimpse of the almost invisible 

 performer, to find that it was only this mocker. 



