142 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



differs but little from the eastern bird, averaging only slightly larger, 

 but being decidedly paler and grayer, with the back and scapulars 

 more distinctly barred with dusky. 



Its habits are so similar to those of its eastern relative that nearly 

 all that Dr. Gross has contributed in his full life history of the 

 eastern house wren would apply equally well to the western race. It 

 seems, however, that the western bird is a little less domestic in its 

 taste, less of a dooryard bird, or rather more of a woodland bird than 

 our familiar eastern house wren. It does, of course, frequent the 

 haunts of man, but seems to be more often found away from them in 

 woodlands. The difference may be more apparent than real, for much 

 of the western house wren's range is thinly settled, but where it does 

 come in contact with civilization it becomes less primitive and adapts 

 itself to the new surroundings. 



In the western mountain ranges, it is often found breeding in the 

 forested regions up to 10,000 feet, or nearly up to timberline. In the 

 Huachuca Mountains, Ariz., we found it breeding commonly in the 

 coniferous forests, from 7,000 feet upward. Mr. Swarth (1904:b) says : 

 "Upon their arrival in the spring, the first being noted on April 8th, 

 they were distributed over all parts of the range, but soon withdrew 

 to the higher altitudes to breed; nor did they descend again when 

 the young were out of the nest, as so many species similarly placed, 

 did." 



In southwestern Saskatchewan we found this wren very abundant 

 in the timber belts along the creeks, where it was the commonest and 

 most ubiquitous bird and one of the most persistent singers; it ap- 

 parently had not yet learned to frequent the ranches. Late in May 

 they were evidently just mating, as the males were chasing the females 

 about and paying them courtship ; I saw a female perched on a fence 

 post, with quivering wings, while her ardent lover hopped along the 

 rail toward her, with wings and tail spread and head thrown back, 

 pouring out a rich flood of rapturous song. 



Nesting. — The western house wren is no more particular about its 

 choice of a nesting site than is its eastern relative ; many and varied 

 are the nooks and crannies in which it seems satisfied to build its 

 nest; any old cavity almost anywhere seems to suit it. In North 

 Dakota we found a nest in the hollow of a dead bianch on an old 

 stump of an elm, just above a larger hollow containing an occupied 

 goldeneye's nest, and almost under an occupied nest of Krider's hawk ; 

 another nest was found in a bank swallow's burrow. 



In the timber belts along the streams in Saskatchewan we found 

 many nests in the hollows in the boxelders and poplars. In the 

 Huachuca Mountains, in Arizona, we found one nest in a pigeon-hole 

 case in a deserted house in an abandoned mining camp ; and my com- 

 panion chopped out a nest in a knothole in a large oak, about 30 feet 



