C AMPYLORHYY CHUS AFFIYIS. 
ALLIED WREN. 
CAMPYLORHYNCHUS AFFIX IS. Xantus. Proc. Acad. Nat, Scion.' (1859), p. 303. 
Who is not familiar with the sprightly Wren, that active, busy, daring little fellow, who builds his nest in the garden, in the 
porch, nay, beneath the very windows of our country houses, and carols forth his sweet song in the early spring time, cheering his mate 
in her duty of incubation? Never at rest, but continually darting from place to place, now snapping up an unwary insect, now peering 
inquisitively into some sheltered nook; creeping through some old decayed log, no sooner seen at one end than out at the other; 
ever fearless, chattering, lively, and friendly, he is altogether one of our most charming feathered visitors. 
Many species are found in the United States, some of which sometimes remain with us throughout the year, braving the severity 
of the winter’s blast, and may be seen on a clear sunny day, actively employed about the wood-pile, darting in and out among the 
logs, incessantly on the move, and apparently as happy and cheerful as when in the spring they seem likely to split their little throats 
pouring forth their love-song from some swaying twig. 
But the species now under consideration is a native of warmer climes, and never ventures far to the northward. It was discovered 
by Mr. Xantus, a zealous naturalist, at Cape St. Lucas, in Lower California, and at first sight would very likely be confounded with its 
relative, the A. Brunneiccqnllus, figured by Mr. Cassiu in his work on the Birds of California and Texas, but it has sufficient characters 
to separate it from that species. 
Although Mr. Xantus was successful in procuring several species of birds, when at Cape St. Lucas, which w T ere new to science, 
he has not yet, I believe, published any account of their habits ; consequently, regarding those of the bird now under consideration, 
we have nothing better than conjectures. Still, we may feel assured they would not differ materially from those of its near ally 
mentioned above, of which Dr. Heermann, in the Journal of the Philadelphia Academy, Yol. II. p. 2G3, thus writes: “I found this 
bird in the arid country back of G-uaymas, on the Gulf of California. The country itself is the picture of desolation, presenting a 
broken surface, and a confused mass of volcanic rocks, covered by a scanty vegetation of thorny bushes and Cacti. In this desert 
I found several interesting species which enter into our fauna as birds of Texas, and this species was one of the number. It 
appeared to be a lively, sprightly bird, uttering at intervals a clear, loud, ringing note. The nest, composed of grasses and lined with 
feathers, was in the shape of a long purse, laid flat between the forks or on the branches of a cactus. The entrance was a covered 
passage, varying from six to ten inches in length. The eggs, six in number, are of a delicate salmon color, very pale, and often so 
thickly speckled with ash, and darker salmon-colored spots, as to give a rich cast to the whole surface of the egg.” 
The principal difference between these two species appears to be that the spots of the under parts in this one are larger and 
more nearly of the same size. The tail feathers of C. Affinis are uniformly banded with white from the base, while the lateral tail 
feathers of its relative are black, with a subterminal band of white. The following is Mr. Xantus’ description of the type specimen : 
“ Above greyish olive, each feather on the back streaked with white, bordered externally by black. Upper tail coverts and 
upper surface of tail grayish with indistinct transverse black bars much broken, quills with a marginal row of rounded whitish spots 
on each web. Beneath white, sometimes very faintly tinged behind with yellowish brown; the whole under surface quite uniformly 
marked with rounded spots (more elongated anteriorly), and of much the same size. On the breast these spots are rather angular, 
and generally do not cross both webs ; posteriorly, however, they are more central, and several are sometimes strung along the shaft 
of the feather. These spots are larger and rounder on the under tail coverts. Tail feathers, excepting the two central, black, each 
web banded from the base with alternating bars of white, six or more in each series. Top of the head uniform cinnamon brown, 
perhaps slightly paler towards the edges of the feathers; a white line from the nostrils over the eye to the nape, the white, however, 
streaked with black. Bill and legs dark brown, base of under mandible paler.” 
The figures are of the natural size. 
