144 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



some are more oblong than others. Their length varies from .75 to .70 of an 

 inch, and their greatest breadth from .60 to .65. The ground-color is a red- 

 dish-white, profusely covered with blotches of purple, slate, reddish-brown, 

 and red. These are generally and pretty equally diffused, and are not more 

 abundant at the larger end than elsewhere. 



Thryothorus ludovicianus, Aur. berlandieri, Couch. 



BERLANDIER'S WREN. 



Thryothorus berlandieri, Couch, Baikd, Birds N. Am. 18.58, 362, ])1. Ixxxiii, fig. 1 (Nt'w 

 Leon) ; Rev. 124. 



Sp. Char. Exposed portion of bill nearly as long as the head. Above dark rusty- 

 brown, most vivid on the rump. A whitish streak over the eye, bordered above with 

 brown. Chin white ; rest of under parts dark brownish-red ; the under tail-coverts and 

 sides of the body barred with dusky. Exposed surface of wings and tail barred througli- 

 out with dusky. Legs flesh-color. Length, 5.25 ; wing, 2,25 ; tail, 2.12. 



Hab. Valley of Rio Grande. 



The distinctive features of this race will be found indicated on page 141. 

 This form bears to the T. ludovicianus about the same relation that Harjio- 

 rhynchus longirostris does to H. riifus ; and is hardly to be considered a dis- 

 tinct "species" from it. It should be noted that in both cases the length- 

 ened bill and deeper color belong to the Eio Grande. It has not yet been 

 met with north of the Rio Grande, but doubtless extends into Texas. Noth- 

 ing is known of its habits. 



Subgenus THRYOMANES, Sclat. 



Thryoviancs, Sclatep, Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 21. (Type Troglodytes bewickii.) 



There are three strongly marked geographi- 

 cal varieties of '' Bewick's Wren," separable 

 by quite constant characters. Of these the 

 Mexican (leucogastcr) and the typical form 

 from eastern North America (hewickii) differ 

 most in coloration, while the western (spilu- 

 rus) is intermediate in this respect, but with 

 a longer bill than in the other two. The pe- 

 culiarities of tlie three forms are expressed 

 on page 141. 



Thryolhnrus bewickii. 



