Home › F › Family Troglodytide

Family Troglodytide

THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC.

Two quite different subfamilies are included under this head, the Thrashers and Mockingbirds, numbering some fifty species, and comprising the subfamily Miminæ, and the subfamily Troglodytinæ, which includes the one hundred and fifty known species of Wrens. The former is a distinctively American group, most numerously represented in the tropical and subtropical parts of the continent, only a dozen species reaching the United States. Generally speaking, they are inhabitants of scrubby growths and bushy borders of woods. They are possessed of remarkable vocal ability, and the Mockingbirds, of which there are sixteen species, are universally conceded first rank among cur song birds so far as powers of execution are concerned. The Wrens have a few representatives in the Old World, but by far the greater number inhabit America, where they are most abundant in the tropics. Wrens, as a rule, are thicket haunters. They are active, nervous, excitable birds, and most of the species have characteristic scolding notes with which they express displeasure or alarm. The majority are highly inusical.

KEY TO THE SPECIES.

A. Wing over 3.50; tail without black bars. a. Back slate-color; cap black; under tail-coverts rufous-brown. 704. CATBIRD. b. Back and crown grayish; under parts whitish; outer tail-feathers white. 703. MOCKINGBIRD. . c. Back rufous; under parts spotted with black 705. BROWN THRASHER. B. Wing less than 3.00; tail with numerous small bars. a. Upper parts rufous, a long, conspicuous whitish line over the eye; under parts cream-buff or ochraceous-buff; wing 2.25 or over. 718. CAROLINA WREN. 718a. FLORIDA WREN. b. Upper parts uniform dark, reddish olive-brown; back without white streaks.

THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC. 61. Under parts whitish; primaries finely barred; no white line over the eye. 721. HOUSE WREN. 7216. WESTERN HOUSE WREN. 62. Under parts whitish; primaries not barred; a white line over the eye. 719. BEWICK'S WREN. 63. Under parts brownish, finely barred with black. 722. WINTER WREN. c. Back with white streaks. c1. White streaks confined to the center of the back; a white line over the eye 725. LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN and races. c2. Crown, back, and wing-coverts streaked with white. 724. SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. 703. Mimus polyglottos (Linn.). MOCKINGBIRD. Ad.-Upper parts ashy; wings and tail fuscous; basal half of the primaries white; outer tailfeather white, next mostly white, third about half white; under parts soiled white. L., 10.50; W., 4·50; T., 4.90; B., 70.