BEWICK'S WREN.
TROGLODYTES BEWICKII.
P L A T E X V I I I . MALE.
T H E bird represented under the name of Bewick's Wren I shot on
the 19th October 1821, about five miles from St Francisville, in the State
of Louisiana. It was standing as nearly as can be represented in the position
in which you now see it, and upon the prostrate trunk of a tree not
far from a fence. My drawing of it was made on the spot. Another individual
was shot a few days after, by a young friend, J O S E P H R. M A S O N ,
who accompanied me on my rambles. In the month of November 1829,
I had the pleasure of meeting with another of the same species, about fifteen
miles from the place above mentioned, and as it was near the house
at which I was then on a visit, I refrained from killing it, in order to
observe its habits. For several days, during which I occasionally saw it,
it moved along the bars of the fences, with its tail generally erect, looking
from the bar on which it stood towards the one next above, and
caught spiders and other insects, as it ran along from one pannel of the
fence to another in quick succession, now and then uttering a low twitter,
the only sound which I heard it emit. It occasionally hopped sidewise,
now with its head towards me, and again in the contrary direction, at
times descending to the ground, to inspect the lowest bar, but only for
a few moments. At other times, it would fly to a peach or apple-tree
close to the fence, ascend to its top branches, always with hopping movements,
and, as if about to sing, would for an instant raise its head, and
lower its tail, but without giving utterance to any musical notes. It
would then return to the fence, and continue its avocations as already described.
I shot the bird, and have it preserved in spirits.
In shape, colour and movements, it nearly resembles the Great Carolina
Wren, and forms a kind of link between that bird and the House
Wren, an account of which you will find in this volume. It has not the
quickness of motion, nor the liveliness, of either of these birds. Where
it comes from, and whither it goes to breed, are quite unknown to me.
I have honoured this species with the name of B E W I C K , a person too
l
well known for his admirable talents as an engraver on wood, and for his
beautiful work on the Birds of Great Britain, to need any eulogy of
mine. I enjoyed the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with that gentleman,
and found him at all times a most agreeable, kind, and benevolent
friend.
The little twig on which the Wren is perched, is from the tree commonly
called the Iron-wood Tree, a species of Elm, the wood of which
is very hard and of close texture. The branches, and sometimes the
stem, are ornamented with longitudinal expansions, resembling cork in
their nature, but much harder.
TROGLODYTES BEWICKII.
Adult Male. Plate XVIII.
Bill nearly as long as the head, subulato-conical, acute, slightly
arched, compressed. Mandibles of equal breadth, with acute margins,
the gap fine a little arched, and slightly deflected at the base. Nostrils
basal, oval, half closed by a membrane. Feet longish, proportionally
rather robust; tarsus anteriorly scutellate, compressed, acute behind,
longer than the middle toe; toes free, scutellate above, the lateral ones
nearly equal, the posterior long; claws slender, compressed, acute, arched,
that of the hind toe much larger.
Plumage rather compact above, blended beneath. Wings short, very
convex, rounded ; first quill short, third and fourth longest. Tail erect,
long, of ten feathers, much rounded, the outer feather not more than
half the length of the middle one, all rounded at the end.
Bill blackish-brown above, pale blue beneath. Iris brown. Feet and
claws pale brown. The general colour of the upper parts is rusty brown,
that of the lower greyish-blue. Quills and wing-coverts barred with
rusty brown and black, as are the two middle tail-feathers. Outer web
of the lateral tail-feather, and the terminal portion of that of the others,
whitish, barred with black, their middle parts black, toward the base
barred with rusty brown. A line of pale brownish-yellow extending
from the upper mandible, over the eye, to half way down the neck. The
rump feathers white towards their base, with central spots.
Length 5 inches, extent of wings 6^ ; beak along the ridge ,', along
the gap § ; tarsus T
7
? , middle toe \, hind toe T
7
g.
G