ANALYSIS OF TROGLODYTIN.E 167 



in a sly and furtive way, delighting to baffle observation and 

 re appear unexpectedly in another place to laugh heartily at 

 the perplexity it has occasioned. But I must not represent 

 the Canon Wren solely in its leading character of the scoffing 

 anchoretic cave-dweller ; it sometimes displays familiar traits, 

 coming in friendly spirit about man's abode, to nest in crevices 

 of walls and buildings, or even occupy boxes put up for its 

 accommodation, like a Martin, Bluebird, or House Wren. 

 Sufficient and satisfactory details respecting its nest and eggs 

 have not yet reached me ; from what 1 can gather from the 

 published records, its economy in these matters closely resem- 

 bles that of the Rock Wren. Eggs supposed to belong to the 

 Canon Wren have been described by Dr. Brewer ; they were 

 " four in number, were unusually oblong and pointed for eggs 

 of this family, and measured .80 by .60 of an inch, with a 

 crystalline-white ground, profusely covered with numerous and 

 large blotches of a reddish or cinnamon brown '. 



SUBFAMILY TROGLODYTIN^E : TYPICAL WRENS 



This is a much more homogeneous group than the family at 

 large as usually constituted. The current genera of North 

 America are very closely related so closely that their formal 

 discrimination becomes difficult. They are in fact best dis- 

 tinguished by the system of coloration, in connection with 

 certain slight details of form. Since every one of our species 

 represents a different subdivision, it will suffice to present here 

 an analysis which will serve for their recognition, and obviate 

 the necessity of diagnosis under the several heads given beyond. 



All the following sections with the wings and tail more or less completely 

 barred crosswise. 



A. Large. Upper parts uniform in color, without streaks or bars ; rump 



with concealed white spots. Belly unmarked ; a conspicuous super- 

 ciliary stripe. 



a. Tail shorter or not longer than the wings, all the feathers brown, 

 distinctly barred THRYOTHORUS ( T. ludovicianm}. 



6. Tail decidedly longer than the wings (in our species), blackish, not 

 fnlly barred on all the feathers THRYOMANES (T. bewicki). 



B. Small. Upper parts not uniform, the back being more or less distinctly 



barred crosswise ; wings, tail, and flanks fully barred. 



c. Tail about equal to wings, the outstretched feet reaching scarcely or 



not beyond its end TROGLODYTES (T. aedon). 



d. Tail decidedly shorter than wings, the outstretched feet reaching 



far beyond its end ANORTHURA (A. troglodytes). 



