506 BRITISH BIRDS. 
mountains of Western China. Examples from Darjeeling, where the rain- 
fall is excessive, are very rufous and very dark, and represent the extreme 
form. 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. fumigatus, is found in Japan and North 
China. Examples from the south island of Japan are undistinguishable 
from the paler examples from the Himalayas, whilst those from the north 
island are paler still. 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. alascensis, from the Pribiloff and Aleutian 
islands, holds an intermediate position between the variety from the 
Kurile Islands and 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. pacificus, which is found on the west of the 
Rocky Mountains, and leads on through 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. hyemalis, from the east of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, a form which is generally slightly more rufous and darker than 
average examples of 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. borealis, from the Faroes, or the canton 
paler typical form 
Troglodytes parvulus, from Europe, which is represented by a still paler 
and greyer form, 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. neglectus, in Cashmere. 
Troglodytes parvulus, var. pallidus, from Turkestan, is the palest and 
greyest variety ; but examples from Algeria are intermediate. 
There appears to be a perfect series from 7. pallidus to T. nipalensis ; 
and the selection of any one of these to be dignified with a special name 
seems to be arbitrary. There is not much variation im size; but on an 
average the island forms, contrary to usual experience, are slightly the 
largest. 
The Wren is a resident bird in the British Islands. So closely associated 
in youthful minds with the Robin, so prominent amongst the birds 
gathered round our doors in the winter, the Wren is every one’s 
favourite. It is one of our most familiar birds, and will often enter 
houses, old sheds, and out-buildings, hopping about with tail erect, without 
any show of fear. But it is only in winter that the Wren is seen in any 
numbers near houses ; for as soon as spring arrives it retires to the garden 
or the woods to breed. No bird, not even excepting the Tits, is more 
active than the Wren. It is rarely observed to remain stationary for two 
minutes together; it is a regular little busybody, exploring all the intri- 
cacies of the cover, occasionally pausing a second to look round, or to 
warble forth his little song. Ever and anon you catch a hurried glimpse 
of it as, crouching low with tail erect, it jerks its head up and down and 
seeks the deepest part of the cover. Now it twists in and out amongst 
the gnarled roots, or even ventures to the topmost spray of the tree for a 
moment, where it commences its wild joyous song. Then, as if alarmed 
