BIRDS — LIOTEICHIDAE THRIOTHORUS. 359 



Sub-Family TROGLODYTINAE. 



Tail feathers rather narrow ; the middle ones less than one-sixth as wide as long. Tail more or less vaulted or concave 

 below ; usually considerably graduated. Tarsus longer than the middle toe, which exceeds the hinder ones ; the lateral toes 

 generally equal, and reaching the base of the middle claw. Hind too much longer than the lateral. Size diminutive. 



The sub-divisions are as follows : 



Thriothoeus. — Wings equal to or slaorter than the tail, which is nearly even, the lateral 

 feathers only graduated. Bill nearly equal to the head, decurved. Toes not reaching to the end 

 of the tail. Color uniform brown on the back. 



CiSTOTHOEUS. — Wings longer than the tail, which is short, and all the feathers much 

 graduated. Toes reaching to or beyond the tip of the tail. Feet large ; hind claw at least 

 equal to the rest of the toe. Back black, streaked with white. 



Telmatodytes. — Bill nearly as long as the head. Hind claw longer than the rest of the toe. 



Cistothorus. — Bill much shorter than the head. Hind claw equal to the rest of the toe. 



Troglodytes. — Wings longer than the tail or nearly equal. Tail rounded ; the lateral 



feathers graduated. Hind claw shorter than the rest of the toe. Back brown, obsoletely 



waved with dusky. 



Troglodytes. — Wings about equal to the tail. Toes reaching to the tip of the tail. Bill 



nearly as long as the head, compressed, decurved. 

 Anorthura. — Wings much longer than the very short tail. Bill shorter than the head, 

 slender, nearly straight. End of tarsus reaching to the tip of the tail. 



THRIOTHORUS, Vieillot. 



Thriothorus, Vieillot, Analyse, 1816. 



Thrijolhorus, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. XXXIV, 1819, 55. 



Thryatliurus, Swains on, Class. Birds, II, 1837, 319. 



Ch. — Bill about as long as theahead ; nearly straight to near the tip, which is abruptly decurved, with an obsolete notch. 

 Gonys nearly straight. Hind toe nearly equal to the middle ; the lateral toes equal, reaching to the base of the middle claw. 

 Tarsus longer than the middle toe. "Wings about equal to the tail, which is arched, and nearly even ; the first or second 

 lateral feathers moderately graduated ; the feathers narrow ; the width of longest about one-tenth its length. 



This genus is apparently related to Campylorhynclms in almost every respect, the chief 

 difference being in the tail, which is rather shorter, being equal to the tail instead of less, and 

 the feathers much narrower, and more vaulted ; the width of the longest is about one-tenth the 

 length, instead of one-fifth or sixth. The bill is straighter to the tip, which is more abruptly 

 decurved. 



In Thryotliorus maculipedus the inner lateral toe is a little shorter than the outer ; the other 

 characters are much the same. 



I have associated in this division the T. hewichii, which differs in longer tail, the lateral 

 feathers of which are more graduated. The other differences are not important. It is at any 

 rate more naturally jjlaced here than in Telmatodytes, where Cabauis has assigned it. 



The precise determination of the section of American wrens to which Vieillot' s name should 

 belong is a matter of much uncertainty, I haye not Vieillot' s Analyse at hand to know what 

 species he considers as type, but Gray quotes as such, Tliryothorus arundinaceus, Vieillot. In 

 the article on Thryotliorus, in Nouv. Diet. XXX IV, 1819, 55, Vieillot says that when he 

 established the genus he knew of but one species, the " Thryothore des roseaux." The bird of 



