WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. 443 



less sharply defined, spots on under parts smaller, and colors more suffused. 

 Length : 8.00-8. T'), wing- o.;j0-;].50, tail o.25-o.."j0, exposed culraen .8U-.y5. 



Distribution. — Resident in Lower Sonoran zone, from southern Texas 

 west to southern California, and from southwestern Utah to central Mexico. 



Nest. — In cactus, yucca, or thorny bush, bulky, flask-shaped, in hori- 

 zontal position, entrance at month of flask ; made of sticks and coarse 

 straws, lined with feathers. Eggs : 4 to 7, whitish or buffy often hidden 

 by reddish brown spotting-. 



Bnuineicapillus seems on first acquaintance, in a cactus and mes- 

 qulLe thicket, the most unwreu-like of wrens. Its big size, black- 

 ish color, and grating, monotonous chut, chut, chut, chut, have little 

 to suggest its small brown, sweet- voiced relatives. Its pose, how- 

 ever, is like that of the Carolina wren, for it sings on top of a 

 bare branch, with head up and tail hanging. It is a conspicuous 

 bird in that strange land of cactus, mesquite, and yucca, and fits 

 into its desert surroundings as w^ell as its odd nest does in among 

 the yucca bayonets or cactus thorns. Its nests are so common that 

 in driving through the country one comes to pass them without 

 comment, unless the eye is caught by a particularly perfect retort 

 form for a photograph. 



In New Mexico, Mr. Anthony found the wrens repairing their 

 nests in the fall, and thinks that they roost in them in winter, and 

 use them for protection against storms. He believes that each pair 

 of wrens keep several nests in order for this purpose. 



713a. H. b. bryanti Anthony. Bryant Cactus Wren. 



Similar to hrunneicapillus. but thick ovate spotting- extending over belly 

 and sides ; under parts washed with rusty, and tad with middle feathers 

 more or less perfectly barred. 



Distribution. t — From southern California south to Lower California. 



GENUS SALPINCTES. 



715. Salpinctes obsoletus (Sa^). Rock Wren.i 



Bill about as long as head, slender, compressed, decurved at tip; wing 



loug-er than tail : tail rounded, feath- ^.^ 



ers broad ; feet small and weak ; tar- 



sxis longer than middle toe, scaled 



behind. Adults: Upper parts dull ,^^^.— .^— 



grayish /;roirn, finely flecked with black '^^^"""j,,. r^.^ 



and white dots; rump light brown; 



tail graduated, tipped with bufly brown and with suht(riiiinal baud of 



black- ; middle tail feathers narri)\vly barred with blackish ; umler parts 



dull whitish, brownish on flanks; chest usually finely speekled. Young: 



upper parts rusty g:ray ; under parts wliitish anteriorlv, brownish on flanks 



and under tail coverts. Length: "j.l^-O..']*), wing^ 2.08-2.80, tail 2.12-2.40, 



bill from nostril .44-.54. 



' Sal/tiiirtrx obxolelus p'tlvdius l\Ti\\in'\\. San Nicolas Rock Wren. 

 Ij\kf (ih.sol el u,^, but entire pliunaKe HutTuBed with Ofhraceous or dust color. 

 DUtribution. — SauNicolaa lalaud, Califoruia. {The Auk^ xv. 238.) 



