14 ANORTHURA. WREN. 



feathers at the base of the bill. Wing shortish, broad, con- 

 cave, semi-ovate, much rounded, first quill half the length of 

 the second ; third, fourth, fifth, and sixth longest, and nearly 

 equal ; primaries ten, secondaries nine, all rounded. Tail 

 short or of moderate length, rounded, generally raised, and 

 of twelve weak, rounded feathers. 



The Wrens are nearly allied on the one hand to the Phyllo- 

 pneustse and Reguli, and on the other to the Certhise, differing 

 however in several essential respects from all these genera. 

 Their bill is more compressed and arched than that of the 

 Phyllopneustse and Reguli, but less so than that of the Certhise. 

 Their feet are stouter than those of the Reguli, but otherwise 

 very similar ; and the claws of both genera, although long, are 

 proportionally shorter than those of the Certhiae. In Anor- 

 thura, the tail is usually but not always raised or cocked, 

 whereas in Certhia it is just the reverse. Nevertheless all 

 these genera are very nearly allied, and their food is the same, 

 although their haunts are somewhat different. The Reguli 

 search for insects and pupoe upon the twigs and among the 

 leaves of trees and shrubs ; the Certhiae in the chinks of the 

 bark of the stems and larger branches ; and the Anorthuras 

 among stones and on low shrubs. 



From the form of their body, and the shortness of their 

 wings and tail, their flight is direct, being performed by rapidly 

 repeated flaps. They inhabit both continents, some of the 

 species extending as far north as any other small birds of a 

 similar nature. Their colouring is generally dull, or at least 

 not in any case remarkable for brilliancy. They construct a 

 very bulky nest, of which the interior is composed of moss and 

 other soft materials, and often lined with feathers. The eggs 

 are numerous, that is from five to eight, or even more, generally 

 white or very light coloured, more or less dotted or spotted. 



Only a single species occurs in Britain, where it is a perma- 

 nent resident, and generally distributed. It is the only species 

 hitherto found on the continent, although the existence of 

 another in Italy is conjectured. In North America however, 

 there are several species, whose habits generally resemble those 

 of ours, and of which one is so similar that it can scarcely be 

 distin£ruishcd. 



