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TROGLODYTES AMERICANUS— AUD. 



WOOD WREN. 



Wood Wren, Troglodytes americana, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Length of bill eleven-twelths of an inch ; of 

 tail, one inch and three quarters ; wings short; fourth quill longest; 

 third and fifth equal. It is closely allied to the House Wren, from 

 which it differs in having the bill stronger, the tail feathers longer 

 and in all respects it is a larger species. Adult with the bill nearly 

 straight, of moderate length ; upper parts dark reddish-brown, duller 

 and tinged with gray on the head, indistinctly barred with dusky ; 

 lower parts brownish-gray, faintly barred on the fore neck, breast 

 and sides of the abdomen; cheeks light gray, the fearhers tipped with 

 brown ; wings short, with the fourth quill longest; tail rather long, 

 much rounded ; wings and tail feathers undulatingly barred with 

 blackish brown ; lower tail coverts distinctly barred. Length four 

 inches and seven-eighths, wing two and one-eighth. 



This species was first discovered by Mr. Audubon, a few miles 

 from Eastport, in the State of Maine, in the summer of 1842. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Audubon, it has been obtained in Vermont and 

 South Carolina, and has been observed in Pennsylvania by Mr. 

 Baird. A few have been shot on various parts of Long Island, and 

 I have no doubt that it occurs in all the Middle and Eastern States ; 

 but from the strong resemblance it bears to the House Wren, has 

 generally been overlooked by collectors. 



