314 



THE WESTERN WINTER WREN. 



drooping Ijraiiches of a fir tree at a lieight of a foot or more from the ground. 



In stich case, the nest is finished to the shape of a cocoanut. with an entrance 



liole in the side a httle above the center. 



In all cases the materials used are subslantiall)- the same, chiefiy green 



moss, with an abundance of 

 fir or cedar twigs shot thru 

 its walls and foundations. 

 This shell is heavily lined 

 with very fine mosses, inter- 

 mingled with deer hair or 

 other soft substances : while 

 the inner lining is of feath- 

 ers, which the Sooty and the 

 Ruffed Grouse ha\-e largely 

 contributed to the uphol- 

 stered luxur}' of this model 

 home. 



"Cocks' nests," or decoys, 

 are the fax'orite diversion of 

 this indefatigable bird, so 

 that, as with the restless ac- 

 tivities of four-year-old chil- 

 dren, one sighs to tliink of 

 the prodigious waste of en- 

 ergies entailed. The aborig- 

 inal cause of this quaint in- 

 stinct, so prevalent among 

 the Wrens, would seem to 

 be the desire to deceive and 

 discourage enemies, but in 

 the case of the Winter \Vren 

 one is led to suspect that the 

 hard-working husband is 

 trying to meet a perpetual 

 challenge to occupy all 

 available sites — a miser 

 hoarfling opportunities. 



A troop of young Wrens 



just out of the nest is a cun- 



le anxious parents cnunsel flight and the more circumspect of 



the brood obey, but now and then one less sophisticated allows a little 



pleasant talk, "lilarney," to quiet his beating heart. Then a little titillation 



Tahcn near Tacoma. 



PI'iOto by Dazcson and Bot^'U'S. 

 WINTER WRE.X IN 



NEST ,\ND EGGS OF WESTERN 

 STUMP. 



TOP OF STUMP REMOVED. AN UNUSUAL NESTING-SITE WHERE ONE 

 WOULD SOONER HAVE EXPECTED TO FIND OREGON CHICKADEE. 



