There are three strongly marked geographical varieties of “Bewick’s Wren,” separable by quite constant characters. Of these the Mexican (leucogaster) and the typical form from eastern North America (bewickii) differ most in coloration, while the western (spilurus) is intermediate in this respect, but with a longer bill than in the other two. The peculiarities of the three forms are expressed on [page 141].
Thryothorus bewickii, var. bewickii, Bonap.
BEWICK’S WREN; LONG-TAILED HOUSE WREN.
Troglodytes bewickii, Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 96, pl. xviii.—Ib. Birds Am. II, 1841, 120, pl. cxviii. Thryothorus bewickii, Bonap. List, 1838.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 363. Telmatodytes bewickii, Cab. Mus. Hein. I, 1850, 78. Thryothorus bewickii, var. bewickii, Baird, Rev. Am. B. 1864, 126.
Sp. Char. Above dark rufous-brown; rump and middle tail-feathers sometimes a little paler, and very slightly tinged with gray, and together with the exposed surface of secondaries distinctly barred with dusky. Beneath soiled plumbeous-whitish; flanks brown. Crissum banded; ground-color of quills and tail-feathers brownish-black. Length, 5.50; wing, 2.25; tail, 2.50. Length from nostril, 39; along gape, 70.
Hab. Eastern Province of United States.
Habits. This interesting species of Wren was first met with by Audubon in Louisiana. A number of individuals were observed at the time, but nothing of its history was known for several years afterward. In shape, color, and habits it most resembled the Carolina Wren, but was less rapid in movement, and not so lively. Fourteen years later Dr. Bachman again met with birds of this species, in 1835, at the Salt Sulphur Springs of Virginia. They comprised a family of two parents and five young, nearly full grown. Their notes were like those of the Winter Wren, neither louder nor more connected. They seemed of restless habit, creeping actively among fences, stumps, and logs. One ascended an oak, nearly to the top, in the manner of a Creeper. This species proved to be quite common in that locality, and to be the only Wren abundant among the mountains. Dr. Gibbs detected it near Columbia, S. C., and Dr. Trudeau afterwards found it quite common in Louisiana.
It was first observed breeding by Professor Baird in Carlisle, Penn., in 1844. In all respects the nests and their location corresponded with those of the common Wren. Dr. Woodhouse found it very abundant in the Indian Territory, and describes its habits as similar to those of other Wrens. Lieutenant Couch observed this Wren at Santa Rosalio in Mexico, early in March. It was seeking its food among the low prickly-pears. He was informed that they deposited their eggs wherever they could do so without making much of a nest, inside the cabins under the rafters, but in New Leon he found one of its nests quite elaborately constructed in a thatched roof. He describes the song as quite varied, and one of the sweetest that he heard in that country.
The late Dr. Gerhardt of Varnell’s Station, Ga., met with this species among the mountainous portions of Northern Georgia, where it generally nested in holes in stumps. In one instance the nest was constructed five inches in length, and four in diameter, with a cavity two inches in depth, and the walls of great proportionate thickness, made externally of coarse roots,
finer on the inside, and lined with various kinds of animal fur and with feathers. Both birds worked together in constructing their nest, beginning on the 11th of April, and on the 27th of the same month this contained seven eggs. The nest was not covered at the top, in the manner of the Carolina Wren. In the following season another pair commenced building their nest in his bed, in a log-house. Driven from these impossible quarters, they tried the same experiment in various other parts of the house, but only to abandon it, and at last finished by making a successful attempt in the hay-loft. Their visits to that portion of Georgia, he informed me, were irregular and only occasional. In 1859 he had not met with any birds of this species for the space of five years.