276 SINGING BIRDS. 



BEWICK'S WREN. 



LONG-TAILED HOUSE WREN. 

 Thrvothorus BEWICKII. 



Char. Above, chestnut brown ; wings and tail with dark bars; buff 

 stripe over eye ; below, dull white ; flanks brown. Length 5 to 5>i 

 inches. 



Nest. Almost anywhere. In settled districts it is usually built in a 

 crevice of a house or barn ; but in the woods a hollow tree or stump is 

 selected, or a clump of bushes. Composed of a mass of leaves, grass, etc., 

 roughly put together. 



Ei^gs. 4-7 ; white or with pink tint, thickly marked with fine spots of 

 reddish brown and purple; 0.65 X 0.50. 



For the discovery of this beautiful species of Wren, appar- 

 ently allied to the preceding, with which it seems nearly to 

 agree in size, we are indebted to the indefatigable Audubon, in 

 whose splendid work it is for the first time figured. It was 

 observed by its discoverer, towards the approach of winter, in 

 the lower part of Louisiana. Its manners are very similar to 

 those of other species, but instead of a song, at this season it 

 only uttered a low twitter. 



Dr. Bachman found this species to be the most prevalent of 

 any other in the mountains of Virginia, particularly about the 

 Salt Sulphur Springs, where they breed and pass the season. 

 The notes bear some resemblance to those of the Winter Wren, 

 being scarcely louder or more connected. From their habit of 

 prying into holes and hollow logs they are supposed to breed in 

 such situations. Mr. Trudeau believes that they breed in Loui- 

 siana. In the marshy meadows of the Wahlamet Mr. Townsend 

 and myself frequently saw this species, accompanied by the 

 young, as early as the month of ]\Iay, At this time they have 

 much the habit and manners of the Marsh ^^>en, and probably 

 nest in the tussocks of rank grass in which we so frequently 

 saw them gleaning their prey. They were now shy, and rarely 

 seen in the vicinity of our camp. 



Bewick's Wren is abundant along the Mississippi valley, but is 

 rarely seen east of the Alleghanies or north of latitude 40°. 



