128 THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 



swallow {A. superciliostis) of Australia, a grey bird, 

 with white eyebrows, has been not infrequently im- 

 ported. 



Wrens [Troglodytince), which are found nearly every- 

 where, are sometimes classed with the Babblers ; like 

 them, they are short-winged, bush-haunting, insecti- 

 vorous birds, but they differ in some points, notably in 

 having no bristles at the base of the bill, in being much 

 less sociable and much more generally gifted as song- 

 sters, besides building domed nests. Most of the 

 Wrens are South American, and among them is the 

 celebrated Organ-bird of the Amazonian region {Cypho- 

 rhinus cantans) , renowned for its powerful and beautiful 

 flute-like note. This bird is of a fair size, as many 

 Wrens are, although the Old- World forms are nearly all 

 small. Our own bird (Troglodytes troglodytes) has a 

 wide range, and is represented by nearly allied forms 

 from Iceland to Japan. The American House- Wren 

 (Troglodytes aedon) is very similar, but has a longer tail 

 and is a little larger ; like our species, it is a familiar 

 garden bird. Most Wrens are plain-coloured, and have 

 the sexes alike. They are difficult subjects for cap- 

 tivity, but the common Wren of Europe has been kept 

 for some time. 



Pelicans (Pelecanidce). 



Diagnosis. — Large water-fowl, with long, narrow, flat 

 hill and large pouch, and all four toes webbed. 



Size. — From that of a goose to larger than a swan. 



Form. — Bill very long, narrow and fiat, with a hook 

 at the tip ; branches of the lower jaw only united 

 at the tip, and supporting a large pouch ; feet 

 with short shanks, and all four toes webbed, hind- 

 toe pointing backwards, but with an inward in- 

 clination ; wings very large, long and broad ; tail 

 short ; neck long. Tongue very small. 



