418 NOTES ON THE 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Tail and wings about equal; bill shorter than head; above 
‘reddish brown, darker towards the head, brighter on the rump. 
Feathers everywhere except on head and neck. barred with 
dusky; obscurely so on the back and still less on the rump. 
All the tail feathers barred from the base, the contrast more 
vivid on the exterior ones; beneath pale fulvous-white, tinged 
with light brownish across the breast; posterior parts rather 
dark brown, obscurely banded; under tail coverts whitish with 
dusky bars; an indistinct line over the eye, eyelids, and loral 
region, whitish; cheeks brown streaked with whitish. 
Length, 4.90; wing, 2.08; tail, 2. 
Habitat, eastern United States and west to Minnesota. 
TROGLODYTES AEDON PARKMANII (AvupusBon). (721a.) 
PARKMAN’S WREN. 
Accepting the differential characteristics, this variety is a 
little the more numerous. At least it isso within my own 
opportunities to measure fresh subjects. Iam very familiar 
with them as found on the Pacific coast from San -Francisco to 
San Diego, and the colors have apparently about the same rel- 
ative difference which is found in nearly all species living 
under like differences of humidity and sunshine. Ours are 
manifestly darker, and consequently exhibit more rufous on 
the lower back and rump. As to measures, I must see more 
specimens in the fiesh than I have yet seen to convince me 
fully of the permanent and definable differences upon which 
the variety has been instituted. As to the differences in the 
songs, I can only say that there might be some which I could 
not retain in my memory long enough to bring them home, 
and keep them until the next year to compare them with birds — 
here, although in the case of several other species, 1 have suc- 
ceeded in doing so because I could write them on a musical staff. 
My skill never reached the measure of reproducing the song 
of the House Wren. The dates of their migrations in either 
spring or fall are the same as those of the other variety. I 
have seen them still abundant till near the middle of Septem- 
ber, and then on the advent of a severe frost, disappear en- 
tirely in a single night. I think that like many other species, 
they fly under such circumstances at night at an elevation 
above the forests. When passing the electric light mast in 
our city, 260 feet in height, small birds may be seen in a state 
of confusion, flitting back and forth before resuming their 
‘course. Indeed birds of all sizes including Pelicans, Geese 
