274 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — FASSERES — OSCINES, 



Excepting some Old World forms of doubtful afEnity, and the species of Anorthura proper^ 

 the Troglodiftidce are confined to Auiei'ica ; and if thus restiicted are susceptible of better 

 definition. About one hundred species or varieties are recognized, usually referred to about 

 sixteen genera, most of which belong to tropical America, where the group reaches its maxi- 

 mum development, — over twenty species of Campylorhynchus being described, for instance. 

 Of North American genera, Campylorhynclius, Catherpes and Salpinctes are confined to the 

 West, and represent a section distinguished by the breadth of the tail-feathers, which widen 

 toward the end. Species of all our other genera are common and familiar eastern birds, much 

 alike in disposition, manners, and habits ; the house wren typifies these. They are sprightly, 

 fearless, and impudent little creatures, apt to show bad temper when they fancy themselves 

 aggrieved by cats or people, or anything else that is big and unpleasant to them ; they quarrel 

 a good deal, and are particularly spiteful towards martins and swallows, whose homes they 

 oi'ten invade and occupy. Their song is bright and hearty, and they are fond of their own 

 music; when disturbed at it they make a great ado with noisy scolding. Part of them live in 

 reedy swamps and marshes, where they hang astouishingly big globular nests, with a little hole 

 in one side, on tufts of rushes, and lay six or eight dark colored eggs ; the others nest any- 

 where, in shrubbery, knotholes, hollow stumps, and other odd nooks. Nearly all are migratory; 

 one is stationary; one comes to us in the fall ho\i\ the north, the rest in spring from the south. 

 Insectivorous, and very prolific, laying several sets of eggs each season. Plainly colored, the 

 browns being the usual colors ; no red, blue, yellow, or green in any of our species. 



Anahjsis of Subfamilies y Genera, and Species. 



CA:\^PYLORHYK■c^I^"Ji;. Feet not strictly laniiniplantar, the lateral plates divided, ornot perfectly fused in one. 

 Tail broad, fan-sbaped, the individual feathers widening toward the end. 

 Very large ; length about 8 inches. Tarsus decidedly scutellate behind. Lateral toes of equal lengths. 



Above streake<l with white, below spotted with black Campylorhynchus 



Black and white bars of tail chietly on outer webs of the feathers C. hrunneicapiUus 63 



Black and white bars of tail chietly on both webs of the feathers C. affinis 64 



Smaller, about G.OO long. Tarsus scutellate behind. Lateral toes of unequal lengths 



Salpinctes [S. obsoletus) 65- 

 Smaller, about 5.50 long. Tarsus scarcely scutellate behind. Lateral toes of unequal lengths 



Caf herpes (C. niexicanus) 66, 67 

 Troglodytin^. Feet strictly laminiplantar, as UBual in Oscines. Tail thin, with narrow parallel-edged 

 feathers. Wings and tail more or less completely barred cross-wise. 

 Large. Upper parts uniform in color, without streaks or bars ; rumj) with concealed white spots. Belly 

 unmarked ; a conspicuous sujierciliary stripe. 



Tail shorter or not longer than the wing, all the feathers brown, distinctly barred 



Thryothorus {T. ludovicianus) 68, 69, 70 

 Tail decidedly longer than the wing, blackish, not fully barred on all the feathers 



Tliryothoiiis (T. beicicki) 71, 72, 7a 

 Small. Upper parts not uniform, the baek being more or less distinctly barred cross-wise; wings, tail, 

 and flanks fully barred. 



Tail about equal to the wing, the outstretched feet reaching scarcely or not beyond its end 



Troglodytes {T. clomesticus) 74, 75 

 Tail decidedly shorter than the wing, the outstretched feet reaching far beyond its end 



Anorthura {A. troglodytes) 7G, 77, 78 

 Small. Upper parts not uniform, the back being streaked lengtli-wise ; flanks scarcely or not barred. 

 Bill about 3 as long as head; crown plain; streaks of back confined to interscapular region 



Tebnatodytes {T. palustris) 79, 80 

 Bill sc.nrccly or not ■} as long as head; crown streaked, like the whole back 



C'iStothorus ( C. stcllarls) 81 



9. Subfamily CAMPYLORHYNCHIN>E : Fan-tailed Wrens. 



For characters of this group and analysis of its genera, see above. 

 19. CAMPYLORHYN'CHUS. (Or. KafxTrvXos, kampidos, bent; pvyxos, rkugchoSj beak.) Cac- 

 tus Wrens. Of largest size in this family ; length about 8.00 inches. Tarsus scutellate 

 behind. Lateral toes of equal lengths. Wings and tail of about equal lengths. Tail broad. 



