TROGLODYTID.E — THE WRENS. 147 



the size of the cavity in which the nest is pLaced. Its materials are usually 

 sticks, straws, coarse feathers, fine chips, etc., exteriorly fastened together 

 with masses of spider's-webs, the lining being of finer and more downy mate- 

 rials, generally soft spider's-webs, tow, and especially the downy feathers of 

 barnyard fowls. 



Thryothorus bewickii, var. leucogaster, Gould. 



Troglodytes leucorjaslra, Gould, P. Z. S. 1836, 89 (Tamaulipas). — Bon. Notes Delattre, 

 1854, 43. ? Thryothorus bewickii, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, 372 (Oaxaca). 'Thryothorus 

 beivickiiy var. leucogaster, Baird, Rev. Am. B. 127. 



Sp. Char. Above ashy-brown ; rump and middle tail-feathers brownish-ash, the for- 

 mer nearly pure ash ; without appreciable bars ; bars on secondaries obsolete. Beneath, 

 including inside of wing, pure white, with little or no brownish on the sides. Crissum 

 banded ; ground-color of the quills and tail-feathers grayish-brown. Size of var. bewickii. 



Hab. Southern borders of United States, into Mexico. 



Habits. Notliing is on record of the habits of this variety as distin- 

 guished from var. beivickii. 



Thryothorus bewickii, var. spilurus, Vigors. 



Troglodytes spilurus. Vigors, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, 1839, 18, pi. iv, fig. 1 (California). 

 Thryothorus spilurus. Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 1870, 69. Troglodytes bewickii, Newberry, 

 P. R. R. Rept. VI, IV, 1857, 80. —Cooper & Suckley, ib. XII, ii, 1860, 190. Thry- 

 othorus bewickii, Sclater, Catal. 1861, 22, no. 141 (in part). Thryothorus bewickii, 

 var. spilicrus, Baird, Rev. 126. 



Sp. Char. Similar to bewickii in color, the bill considerably longer. Length from nos- 

 tril, .50, gape, .81, instead of .39 and .70. 

 Hab. Pacific slope of United States. 



Young birds from all the localities differ from adults merely in having the 

 feathers of the throat and breast very narrowly and inconspicuously edged 

 with blackish. 



Habits. This variety of Bewick's Wren is exclusively an inhabitant of 

 the Western coast. According to Dr. Cooper, they abound throughout the 

 wooded parts of California and northward, frequenting the densest forests 

 as well as the open groves. During the winter they were found in the vicin- 

 ity of Fort Mojave, but left in April, probably for the mountains. They also 

 winter throughout the mild regions towards the coast as far north as Puget 

 Sound. Tliey are known as Mocking- Wrens, though Dr. Cooper thinks they 

 do not really imitate other birds, but rather have a great variety of their own 

 notes, some of which resemble those of other birds and are well calculated 

 to deceive one unaccustomed to them. He was often led to search in vain 

 for some new form, which he thought he heard singing, only to find it to be 



