WREN. 



467 



brown, some of the upper tail-coverts with a whitish spot, 

 which is commonly hidden, in the middle ; the wings and 

 tail rather more rufous than the back, and more distinctly 

 barred; the greater wing-coverts with three or four small 

 white spots ; primaries barred on the outer web alternately 

 with pale buff and dull black; chin and throat plain greyish- 

 baff, becoming browner on the belly; flanks, and under tail- 

 coverts, light reddish-brown, indistinctly barred with darker 

 brown ; the lower tail-coverts tipped with dull white : legs, 

 toes and claws, light brown. 



The whole length of the bird is rather less than four 

 inches. From the carpal joint to the end of the wing, one 

 inch and seven-eighths. 



The female is smaller, less bright in colour, and browner 

 beneath than the male. 



The Wren of Iceland and the Faeroes, for a long time 

 deemed identical with our own, has of late been justly 

 separated under the name of Troglodytes horcalis. It is 

 more barred beneath and is unmistakably larger — its eggs 

 even shewing this last character. Of the North- American 

 species, one, T. hyemalis, much resembles our own, but its 

 bill is stouter and strai^hter. The Japanese T. fmiiigatus, 

 which has occurred in China, is still more like our bird, but 

 its distinctness is recognized by most authorities. 



