THE CANYON WREN. 319 



extending range into L'pper Soiitiran and Arid Transition zones of eastern 

 Washington. 



Authorities. — C. mcsicaiiiis l^iiiictiilatiis, Snodgrass, Auk, \'(jl. XXI. Apr. 

 1904, p. 232. J. 



Specimens.^P. 



TO Mr. Roljert E. Snodgrass belongs the honor of tirst reporting this 

 species as a bird of Washington. He encountered it in the Snake River 

 Caiion at Ahnota in the summer of 1903. and mentions that it occurred also 

 at Wawawai Ferry, a few miles up the river. Roswell H. Johnson also 

 refers to it casually in the preface to his list of the birds of Cheney* as 

 occurring "where conditions were favorable to the .south and east." 



It has long been supposed that the Cai'ion Wrens were confined to a much 

 more southern range. Ridgway'' assigns the northern limits of this species 

 to Wyoming and Nevada. Its appearance in Washington, therefore, is 

 matter of congratulation and may, perhaps, be taken as an instance of that 

 north-a'ani trend of species which undoubtedly affects many of the Passerine 

 forms, and none more notably than the Wrens. 



The Cafion Wren frequents much the same situations as the Rock Wren 

 and has the same sprightly ways. In the southern part of its range it is said 

 to be a familiar resident of towns, and nests as frec|uently in crannies and 

 bird-boxes as does our House Wren (Troglodytes acdon parkiiianii). Its 

 alarm note is a "peculiarly ringing dink." and its song is said to excel, if 

 possible, that of the House W'ren. "What joyous notes! * * * His song 

 comes tripping down the scale growing so fast it seems as if the songster 

 could only stop by giving his odd little flourish back up the scale again at the 

 end. The ordinary song has seven descending notes, but often, as if out of pure 

 exuberance of happiness, the \Wen begins with a run of grace notes, ending 

 with the same little flourish. The rare character nf the song is its rhapsody 

 and tlie ricli \ibrant quality which has suggested the name of bugler for him — 

 and a glorious little bugler he surely is" (Mrs. Bailey). 



a. "The Birds of Cheney, Washington," The Condor. \'ol \'III.. Jan.. 1906, p. 25 [No scientific 

 name given]. 



b. "The Birds of N. and M. America," \'ol. III., p. 659. 



