FAMILY CJiamcEidcB 



between the mountains and the sea. The 

 pallid and the ruddy wren-tits are found in 

 California and the southwest. 



The coast wren-tit is found in the dense 

 grow^th of salal, manzanita and lodge-pole 

 pines that clothe the ridges along the coast. 

 It delights in the thick cover from which it 

 rarely shows itself except to dart from one 

 dense patch of brush to another in its travels. 

 One's first introduction to this queer yet 

 delightful little bird is usually a sharp scold- 

 ing on the part of the wren-tit that sounds 

 hke the w^ooden rattle that the small boy 

 whirls in his fingers. Then one may hear a 

 queer tremolo whistle that sounds like the 

 subdued quaver of the screech owl. The call 

 will probably be taken up and repeated by 

 several other tits from different directions, 

 the whole performance being very unusual 

 in bird life. The song may be described as 

 keep, keep, keep, keep-it, keep-it, keep-it, 

 running down the scale, starting slowly and 

 ending in a trill. And another song may be 

 rendered, pee, pee, pee, peep, peep, peep, peep, 

 in a slow and monotonous tone. The nest 

 is described by Finley as well made and 

 deeply cupped, resembling that of the 

 lazuli bunting. It is usually well hidden in 

 low brush. 



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