^ 



84 



'^ 



TEOGLODYTIDJ;;, WEENS. GEN. 17. 



■which is less than the 3d ; point of wing formed by 3d, 4th and 5th quills ; tail 

 rounded, equal to or longer than wing. Restless, active little forest birds that 

 make a living by picking bugs out of cracks in bark. In scrambling about, they 

 use the tail as woodpeckers do, and never hang head downwards, like the nut- 

 hatches. Lay numerous eggs in knotholes ; 

 KsLtT^^'^^ '^'•'ti§ ^'^^ migratory ; no song ; slight seasonal or 



'''^*^C~~ =^^fe- ^^K, ^y sexual changes of plumage. 



17. Genus CERTHIA Linnaeus. 



Broivn Creeper. Plumage above sin- 

 gularly barred with dusky, whitish, 

 ne. 28. Biwn creeper; nat. size. tawiiy or fulvous browu, and bright 

 browu — latter chiefly ou the rump; below, white, either pure or soiled, 

 and generally slightly brownish-washed behind ; wings dusky, oddly varied 

 with tawuy or whitish bars and spots ; tail plain ; about 5^ ; wing and tail 

 about 2f. North America. WiLS., i, 122, pi. 8; Nutt. ; Aud., ii, 109, 

 pi. 115; Bd., 372 familiaris. 



Family TROGLODYTID^. Wrens. 



Embracing a number of forms assembled in considerable variety, and difficult to 

 limit with precision. Closely related to the last two or three families ; known from 

 these by non-acuminate tail feathers and exposed nostrils. Very intimately re- 

 sembling, in particular, the mocking group of thrushes — those with scutellate tarsi 

 and not strictlj^ spurious iirst primary ; but all our wrens are smaller than any of the 

 Miininm, and otherwise distinguished by less deeply cleft toes, as stated on p. 73 ; 

 "the inner toe is united by half its basal joint to the middle toe, sometimes by 

 the whole of this joint ; and the second joint of the outer toe enters wholly or 

 partially into this union, instead of the basal only." Nostrils narrowly or broadly 

 oval, exposed, overhung by a scale resembling that of the Gallince; bill rather or 

 very slender, straight or slightly decurved, from half as long to about as long as 

 the head, unnotched in all our genera ; no evident rictal bristles : wings short, 

 more or less rounded, primaries 10, the 1st short, but not strictly spiu-ious ; tail 

 variable in length, much or little rounded : tarsus scutellate, hind toe very long. 



Excluding certain Old World forms sometimes placed with the Wrens, but prob- 

 ably better assigned elsewhere ; and excepting the European wren and its con- 

 geners, the Trogloclyticlce are confined to America. If thus restricted, the family is 

 susceptible of more exact limitation, as shown by Baird in his elaborate ' Review ' 

 (p. 91). There are about a hundred recognized species or varieties, usually referred 

 to about sixteen genera or subgenera ; most of these belong to tropical America, 

 where the family reaches its maximum development ; for instance, over twenty 

 species of Campylorhynclms alone are described. Of the North American forms, 

 genera 18, 19 and 20 are confined to the West, and represent a section distin- 

 guished by the breadth of the individual tail feathers, which widen noticeably 

 towards the tip. Species of all our other genera are common and familiar eastern 

 birds, much alike in disposition, manners and habits ; the house wren may be taken 

 to typify these. They are sprightly, fearless and impudent little creatures, apt to 

 show bad temper when they fancy themselves aggrieved by cats or people, or any- 



