448 
WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. 
tipped with gray and barred with brown, outer pair barred toward end 
with whitish ; under parts grayish white, lightest on throat, tinged with 
brown on sides and flanks; under tail coverts barred with black. Wing : 
2.07, tail 2.03, exposed culmen .56. 
Remarks. — Calophonus is most nearly allied to spilurus , but has a con¬ 
spicuously larger bill and averages larger and darker. 
Distribution. — Pacific slope from Oregon north to southern Vancouver 
Island and the Fraser River valley. Resident probably throughout its 
range, at least from Puget Sound southward. 
719.1. Thryomanes leueophrys (Anthony). San Clemente 
Wren. 
Similar to charienturus , but paler, grayer above and on flanks ; under tail 
coverts less heavily barred ; bill longer. Wing: 2.07, tail 2; bill .56. 
Distribution. — San Clemente Island, California. 
GENUS TROGLYODYTES. 
General Characters. —Wing less than 3, about length of tail; stretched 
feet not reaching beyond end of tail; inner toe united at base to middle 
toe. 
KEY TO ADULTS. 
1. Upper parts brown. Pacific coast region . . . parkmanii, p. 448. 
1'. Upper parts grayish brown. Western states except coast region. 
aztecus, p. 449. 
721a. Troglodytes aedon parkmanii (Aud.). Parkman 
Wren : Pacific House Wren. 
Upper parts dull brown, all but head barred with blackish ; tail coverts 
barred with black and whitish; under parts 
dingy, lightly barred. Length: 4.25-5.25, wing 
2.02, tail 1.85, exposed culmen .49. 
Distribution. — Pacific coast region from 
British Columbia south to California. 
Nest. — In holes in trees or about buildings, 
made largely of twigs, lined with feathers. 
Eggs: 5 to 7, pinkish white, thickly spotted 
with reddish brown or brownish purple. 
The house wrens are just ordinary birds, 
with no striking marks and nothing musi¬ 
cal or brilliant about their songs, but they 
are such persistently jolly little songsters that their charm is quite 
irresistible. Wherever you meet them they are always singing, be 
it about house or barn, deserted cabin, or old sycamore. Ebullient 
is the only word that expresses them. Their notes fairly tumble 
over each other, they are poured out so fast. At times the little 
musicians become ecstatic, and raise their quivering wings till they 
almost meet over the back. Besides their song the wrens have an 
anxious scolding chatter, and the mother bird a quieting krup-up- 
up which she uses to soothe her brood. 
Raising a brood is a protracted process with the wrens. With one 
Fig. 573. 
