204 BULLETIN 10 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Fearing the extermination of the species the balance of the colony was unmo- 

 lested, but as the sheltering undergrowth was more and more constricted by the 

 goats the birds were either blown from the island by violent gales that frequently 

 sweep over it, or killed by cats which infest the entire island since their introduc- 

 tion about the time of Dr. Palmer's visit in 1875. The last week in May, 1892, 

 Mr. Clark P. Streator, and myself paid a visit one day to the North Head. 



Near the beach and directly below the pines Mr. Streator took a pair of wrens 

 which are now in the collection of the Biological Survey. On the ridge near 

 the spot where Bryant found them, I discovered a bird which was secured, and 

 saw what may have been a second but was of doubtful identity. Since that 

 date I have made several calls at Guadalupe, and though the entire top of 

 the island was carefully searched by myself and several assistants for days at 

 a time we never found any signs of the species which must now be classed 

 among those that were. 



The constant destruction of all low-growing vegetation by the goats still con- 

 tinues, not only consuming the nesting sites and shelters of Junco, Pipilo and 

 all ground-nesting species but giving to the ever watchful cat more favorable 

 opportunities for destroying the few birds that are left. Pipilo consobrinus 

 is now nearly or quite extinct and the juncos are surely but steadily becoming 

 scarce. Since the goats kill all of the young trees as soon as they appear above 

 ground, and the larger trees are dying, the outlook for the future flora and fauna 

 is not bright. 



So, the Guadalupe wren probably disappeared entirely soon after 

 1892, and another was added to our growing list of extinct species. 

 This sad story should serve as a lesson to conservationists, a warning 

 against over-grazing and the release of introduced animals and of 

 feral cats, the latter becoming a serious menace anywhere. 



Nesting. — It seems that the nest of this wren has never been found ; 

 this and the eggs will remain forever unknown. Mr. Bryant and his 

 Mexican companion made a careful and protracted search for nests 

 during the greater part of two days, but with no success. 



Plmnages. — The single young bird, now in the collection of the 

 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is practically indistinguishable from 

 the young of the San Diego wren, according to Oberholser (1808). 



Food. — The stomach of one of the birds collected by Dr. Palmer 

 "contained remnants of some small black insects which feed upon the 

 blossoms of the White Sage" (Ridgway, 1876). And Mr. Bryant 

 (1887) found "insects and two pine seeds" in the stomach of one of 

 his birds. 



Behavior- — Mr. Bryant (1887) says: "The birds were timid rather 

 than shy, being alarmed by the crushing of dry branches as I worked 

 my way amidst the dense windfalls of pines, where they w^cre found, 

 they fled into the thickest parts. When all was quiet they would 

 cautiously approach until within a few feet of me, seemingly prompted 

 by curiosity. * * * ^ frightened female uttered a few 'twit' 

 'twits' of alarm, but with this exception they were utterly silent." 



