614: HISTORY OF THE 



pleasing, warbling, flippant and voluble song, but, to my ear, 

 not remarkably musical. Outside from their song and interest- 

 ing ways, they are valuable in the destruction of injurious insect 

 life, and are in no way harmful; and, for these reasons, suitable 

 boxes are or should be placed in the porches, and nailed to the 

 outbuildings, for their reception. 



Their nests are placed in holes in trees, logs and stumps, and 

 about dwelling houses, in boxes, etc., entering outhouses through 

 crevices and knotholes — in fact, most anywhere (I once found 

 a nest in the skull of a buffalo); loosely constructed of sticks, 

 weeds, etc., filling the cavities, leaving a small opening for en- 

 trance; within the rubbish they construct an inner nest, com- 

 posed of finer material, lining the same with feathers, fur, and 

 most any soft, warm substance. Eggs seven to nine, .64x.49; 

 ground color white to pinkish white, but so thickly dotted with 

 specks of reddish brown and a few purple markings that the 

 white is concealed; in form, oval. 



Subgenus ANORTHUEA Rennie. 

 Tail less than three- fourths as long as wing. Nest of moss, etc., lined with 

 soft feathers, built in crevices of dead logs or stumps, in thick, coniferous woods. 

 Eggs five to seven; white or creamy white, finely but rather sparingly speckled 

 with reddish brown; sometimes nearly immaculate. {Ridgtoay.) 



Troglodytes hiemalis Vieill. 



WINTER WREN. 

 PLATE XXXIV. 



Winter sojourner; rather rare. Leave in March; begin to 

 return in October. 



B. 373. R. 65. C. 76. G. 27, 314. U. 722. 



Habitat. Eastern North America; west to the Rocky Mount- 

 ains; breeding from the northern United States northward; 

 wintering from about its southern breeding limits southward to 

 or near the Gulf coast. 



Sp. Char. Above, deep brown, duller anteriorly, brighter (a burnt umber 

 tint) on rump and upper tail coverts, the wings and tail (often rump aud back 

 also) narrowly barred with dusky; outer webs of quills spotted with dusky and 

 pale brownish or brownish white; superciliary stripe aud lower parts pale Isa- 

 bella brownish, varying to dull light tawny, the belly, flanks and under tail cov- 

 erts distinctly barred with blackish and whitish. Chin, throat, chest and breast 



