THE TULE WREN. 303 



ill an}- gi\en iiest only one textile snbstance will preponderate. Dead cat-tail 

 leaves may be employed, in which case the numerous loopholes will be filled 

 with matted down from the same plant. Fine dry grasses mav be utilized, 

 and these so closel_\- wo\-en as practically to exclude the rain. On Moses Lake, 

 where rankl}- growing l)ulrushes predominate in the nesting areas, spirogvra 

 is the material most largely used. This, the familiar, scum-like plant which 

 masses under water in (|uiet places, is plucked ijut b)- the \enturesome birds in 

 great wet hanks and plastered about the nest until the required thickness is 

 attained. While wet, the substance matches its surroundings admiral)ly, but 

 as it dries out it shrinks considerably and fades to a sickly light green, or 

 greenish gray, which advertises itself among the obstinately green bulrushes. 

 Where this fashion prevails, one finds it jjossible to pick out immediately the 

 oldest member of the group, and it is more than likely to prove the occu])ied nest. 



The nest-linings are of the .softest cat-tail down, feathers of wild fowl, or 

 dried s]Mrogyra teased to a point of enduring fluffiness. It a]ipears, also, that 

 the Wrens often cover their eggs upon lea\'ing the nest. Thus, in one we 

 found on the 17th of May, which contained seven eggs, the eggs were com- 

 pletely buried under a loose blanket of soft vegetable fillers. The nest was 

 by no means deserted, for the eggs were warm and the mother bird very 

 solicitous, insomuch that she repeatedly \-entnred within a foot of m\- hand 

 while I was engaged with the nest. 



The Marsh Wrens regard themselves as the rightful owners of the reedy 

 fastnesses which they occupy, and are evidently jealous of a\'ian, as well as 

 human, intruders. In one instance a Wren had constructed a sham nest hard 

 against a completed structure of the Yellow-headed Blackbird, and to the 

 evident retirement of its owner. Another had built squarely on top of a 

 handsome Blackbird nest of the current season's construction, and with a 



spiteful purpose all too evident. 



No. 117. 



TULE WREN. 



A. O. U. No. 723 a. Telmatodytes palustris paludicola (Baird). 



Synonyms. — M-\RSii \\'rf;x (locally). Wicstkrx M.vesh Wri^n (now re- 

 stricted to T. p. picsiiis). C-^LiFORXi-v M.vRSH Wrex (inappropriate). P,\ciFic 

 Marsh Wrkx. 



Description. — .Idult: Similar to T. p. plcsiiis, but smaller and with colora- 

 tion decidedly darker. Length about 4.75 (120.6); wing 1.97 (50); tail 1.73 

 (44) ; bill .52 (13.2') : tarsus .78 (20). 



