GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 63 



break, and along the borders of the great rivers of the southern 

 states, not far from the sea coast. 



The Great Wren of Carolina is five inches and a quarter long, 

 and seven broad; the whole upper parts are reddish brown, the 

 wings and tail being barred with black; a streak of yellowish white 

 runs from the nostril over the eye, down the side of the neck, nearly 

 to the back; below that a streak of reddish brown extends from 

 the posterior part of the eye to the shoulder ; the chin is yellowish 

 white; the breast, sides and belly a light rust color, or reddish 

 buff; vent feathers white, neatly barred with black; in the female 

 plain ; wing coverts minutely tipt with white ; legs and feet flesh 

 colored, and very strong; bill three quarters of an inch long, strong, 

 a little bent, grooved and pointed, the upper mandible bluish black, 

 lower light blue; nostrils oval, partly covered with a prominent 

 convex membrane; tongue pointed and slender; eyes hazel; tail 

 cuneiform, the two exterior feathers on each side three quarters of 

 an inch shorter, whitish on their exterior edges, and touched with 

 deeper black; the same may be said of the three outer primaries. 

 The female wants the white on the wing coverts ; but differs little 

 in color from the male. 



In this species I have observed a circumstance common to 

 the House and Winter Wren, but which is not found in the Marsh 

 Wren; the feathers of the lower part of the back, when parted by 

 the hand, or breath, appear spotted with white, being at bottom 

 deep ash, reddish brown at the surface, and each feather with a 

 spot of white between these two colors. This, however, cannot 

 be perceived without parting the feathers. 



