184 BULLETIN 19 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



T. h. hewickii but decidedly larger, tail relatively longer (averaging 

 equal to or longer than wing instead of distinctly shorter) , and colora- 

 tion grayer above (broccoli brown to a more decided brown hue), and 

 whiter beneath, with blackish bars on under tail-coverts much 

 narrower." 



The haunts and habits of the Texas wren are not much different from 

 those of its eastern relative. George F. Simmons (1925) includes the 

 following in his list of its habitats around Austin, Tex, : "Usually 

 broken country, almost always near civilization; * * * old pas- 

 tures dotted with brush heaps and lined with brush fences ; cut-over 

 woods ; * * * thickets and beds of cactus in mesquite and cactus 

 country; brush heaps and thickets along creeks; dense cedar brakes 

 on the hills ; along rathei' open creek valleys, on slopes and hills, and 

 in semi-open country, but never in dense bottom woods or on extreme 

 open country; about barns, deserted houses, wood piles and brush 

 heaps. * * * The commonest local wren, a pair in nearly every 

 garden." 



We found this wren to be a common resident about the city of 

 Brownsville, in the rural districts surrounding it, in the open country 

 about the ranches, and in the chaparral and pricklypear thickets. 

 Other observers seem to have had the same experience with it there. 



Edwin V. Miller (1941) says that "at Chipinque, Nuevo Leon, at 

 4,000 feet, the wrens' habitat consisted of large oaks, pines and other 

 trees, with a thick undergrowth of brush; in the same habitat were 

 Whip-poor-wills and Couch Jays." 



Nesting. — The Texas wren builds its nest in just such a variety of 

 situations as its eastern relative and in similar places. The only nest 

 we saw was found beside the road as we were driving out from Browns- 

 ville ; it was built behind a blind on a deserted house, and contained a 

 brood of young on May 24, 1923, George B. Sennett (1879) says that 

 "a pair of them built their nest between the ridge-pole and thatching of 

 the roof of a corn-crib which we occupied in preparing our specimens, 

 and almost over our heads. They were so tame as to hop about among 

 the cotton, tow, papers, etc., on our benches, within a few feet of us, 

 and take whatever pleased them," He found another nest "in a brush 

 fence at Lomita Ranch. The nest was quite simple, being but a handful 

 of hair, leaves, feathers, cotton, and fine bark matted together." Re- 

 ferring to the same general region about Brownsville, Dr. James C. 

 Merrill (1878) says: "Its nests are placed in a variety of situations. 

 I have found them in an old Woodpecker's nest, placed between three or 

 four joints of the prickly pear, forming a bulky structure, and among 

 the twigs of various thorny bushes." 



Mr. Simmons (1925) says that, in the Austin region, the nest may be 

 placed anywhere from 3 inches to 25 feet, but usually about 6 feet, 

 above ground. He mentions a number of nesting sites similar to those 



