278 SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — PA SSEBES — OSCINES. 



markings on the outer webs and tips. Length about 5.50; extent G.75; wing 2.00-2.12; 

 tail 2.35; bill 0.50; tarsus 0.75. Eastern U. S., southerly, N. to the Middle States and 

 Minnesota. Not very common in the Atlantic States, but so abundant as to replace the house 

 wren in some parts of the interior. Nest in holes in trees, stumps, fences, etc. ; eggs white, 

 finely dotted and spotted, resembling those of Catherpea or Salpinctes. 

 12. T. b. leucogas'ter. (Gr. Xcukoj, leukos, white; yaarrip, gaster, belly.) White-bellied 

 Wren. Above, uniform clear ashy- brown ; below, clear ashy-white; pure white on the 

 middle parts. A long, strong, white superciliary stripe ; auriculars speckled with white. Cou- 

 cealed white spots on the rump. Quills of the wings fuscous, the inner feathers very obsoletely 

 waved with the color of the back. Two middle tail-feathers closely barred with pure dark ash 

 and black; others black, with irregular white or ashy-white tips, the outer web of the exterior 

 feather barred with white. Length 5.50-5.75 inches; extent 6.75; wing 2.00-2.33; tail 

 2.25-2.50 ; bill 0.50 ; tarsus 0.75. Southwestern U. S. ; a well-marked geographical race. 



73. T. b. spilu'rus? (Gr. (tttIXos, spilos, spotted; ovpa, oura, tail.) Speckled-tailed Wren. 

 Similar to No. 71, and scarcely distinguishable; bill said to be longer, 0.60. Pacific Coast. 



23. TROGLO'DYTES. (Gr. rpayXohvTrjs , troglodutes, a cave-dweller.) House Wrens. Of 

 small size; no decided superciliary line. Upper parts not uniform in color, the back more or 

 less distinctly ban-ed crosswise ; wings, tail, and flanks fully barred crosswise ; tail about equal 

 to wing in length, the outstretched feet scarcely or not reaching beyond its end. Eggs colored. 



74. T. domes'ticus. (Lat. domesticus, domestic; donms, a house.) Eastern House Wren. 

 Brown, brighter behind ; below rusty-brown, or grayish-brown, or even grayish-white ; every- 

 where waved with darker shade, very plainly on wings, tail, flanks, and under tail-coverts; breast 

 apt to be darker than either throat or belly ; bill shorter than head, about 0.50 ; wings and tail 

 nearly equal, about 2.00, but rauging from 1.90 to 2.10; total length 4.50-5.25, averaging about 

 4.90; extent about 6.75. Exposed portion of 1st primary about one-half as long as longest 

 primary. Eastern U. S., N. to Canada, W. to Dakota ; very abundant anywhere in shrubbery, 

 gardens, and about dwellings, where its active, sprightly, and fearless demeanor, together with 

 its heart.y trilling song, bring it into friendly notoriety. Nest of any trash in a hole of a build- 

 ing, fence, tree, or stump; eggs 6-9, 0.65 X 0.55, profusely and uniformly studded with minute 

 points of brown, often rendering an almost uniform color; two or three broods each season. 

 Resident in the South, migratory farther north. 



75. T. d. park'mani. (To Dr. Geo. Parkman, of Boston.) Western House Wren. Brown 

 above, little brighter on rump, nearly everywhere waved with dusky, strongest on wings and 

 tail, but usually appreciable on the whole back. Below brownish -white, nearly white on belly, 

 obscurely variegated with darker markings, which, on the flanks and crissum, become stronger 

 bars, alternating with brown and whitish ones. Bill blackish above, pale below ; feet brown. 

 Length 5.00-5.25 ; extent 6.75; wing and tail about 2.10. Exposed portion of 1st primary 

 about one-half as long as 2d primary. Western U. S., from the Plains to the Pacific, abun- 

 dant, there replacing T. domesticus, to which it is so similar ; but on an average paler and 

 grayer, with rather longer wings and tail. 



24. ANORTHU'RA. (Gr. dv, an, signifying negation ; 6p66s, orthos, straight ; ovpa, oura, tail. 

 Fig. 147.) Winter Wrens. Like Troglodytes proper, but tail decidedly shorter than wings, 

 the outstretched feet reaching far beyond its end. Eggs colored. 



76. A. troglo'dytes hiema'lis. (Lat. /»e/Hrt?is, wintry ; hiems, winter. Fig. 150.) Winter Wren. 

 Above brown, darker before, brighter behind, most of back, together with tail and inner wing- 

 quills, banded with dusky, the markings obsolete on the back, where usually accompanied by 

 whitish specks, strongest on the Avings and tail. Outer webs of several primaries regularly 

 ban-ed with brownish-white, in marked contrast with the other bars of the wings. An incon- 

 spicuous whitish supercihary line. Below brownish, paler or whitish anteriorly, the belly, 

 flanks, and crissum heavily waved with dusky and whitish bars. Bill slender, straight, decidedly 



