BIRDS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS. 95 



extremes ; I have birds exhibiting every shade of color 

 between, but remarkably variable. 



Upon these inconstant characters does the specific value 

 of Americana rest ! Very pertinent then are the grave 

 doubts expressed by ornithologists as to its validity as a 

 species. The following is an accurate description of the 

 specific characters, with the more important synonymes, 

 and a table of comparative measurements. 



Troglodytes aedon, Vieill. — House Wren. 



Troglodytes aedon. Viellot, Ois. Am. Sept. II. 1807, 32; PI. 



CVII.— Ib. Nouv. Diet. XXXIV. 1819, 506. 

 w «* BoNAP., Obs. Wilson, 1825, No. 136. 



«t « Rich., F. Bor. Am. II. 1831, 316. 



« '* AuD., Orn. Biog. I. 1831, 427: V. 1839; PI. 



LXXXIII. — Ib. Syn. 1839, 75. — Ib. Birds 

 Am. II. 1841,125; PI. VIII. 

 Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 367. 

 Samuels, Orn. and Ool. of N. Eng. 1867,196. 

 CouES, Proe. Essex Inst. V. 1867, 278. 

 Wilson, Am. Orn. I. 1808, 129; PI. VIII. 

 Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 422. 

 " " Rich., List, 1837. 



Troglodytes Americanus. Aud., Orn. Biog. II. 1834, 452: V. 1839, 469, 

 PI. 179. —Ib. Birds Am. II. 1841, 123; PI. 

 119.— Ib. Syn. 1839,75. 

 " " Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 368. 



« " CouES, Proc. Essex Inst. V. 1867, 278. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill extremely variable in size, dark brown, 

 paler at the base of the lower mandible. Upper parts dark 

 brown, becoming more rufous on the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts ; middle of back and upper tail-coverts faintly barred 

 transversely with irregular lines of darker. The brown of 

 the back is exceedingly changeable; when it becomes light- 

 colored, these bars are almost, if not quite, obsolete ; wings 

 distinctly and more regularly barred transversely with 

 black ; tail reddish brown, irregularly but distinctly barred 

 transversely with black, — sometimes this black has a lighter 

 edging ; under parts dirty white, becoming pale brown on 



