294 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Nests were found in cavities of immense boulders, under roclis, in fallen and 

 decayed trunks of cypress trees, the latter location being apparently a favorite 

 one. But wherever the nests were located the passages leading to them were, 

 with one or two exceptions, paved with flat pebbles ranging in size from a Lima 

 bean to a half dollar. Fully a quart of these pebbles were removed from the 

 entrance to a nest built in a boulder at a height of 4 feet, where, at some previous 

 time, other birds had evidently built and accumulated their share of the pave- 

 ment. As a rule scarcely an ordinary handful of stones are used. The nest is 

 built in close conformity to the size and shape of the cavity which it occupies, 

 being usually circular and varying from a shallow bed of fine dry grasses to a 

 nest of the same material measuring 100 mm. in diameter and GO mm. high. The 

 egg receptacle is from 55 mm. 70 mm. in diameter, and not more than 30 mm. in 

 depth. A lining of goat hair when obtainable is invariably used. I followed 

 one bird fully an hundred yards from the spot where she had collected some goat 

 hair before the nest was reached. 



Eggs. — According to Mr, Bryant, "the eggs are usually 4, though 

 sometimes 5 in number, and resemble both in color and shape those of 

 the common rock wren." He gives the measurements of two sets and 

 says that the average of 55 eggs is 19 by 14 millimeters. I have the 

 measurements of 30 eggs, among which the eggs showing the four 

 extremes measure 21.0 by 15.0, 20.0 by 16.0, 17.0 by 14.0, and 18.4 by 

 13.3 millimeters. 



Plumages. — Mr. Bryant (1887) describes two stages of immature 

 plumages. One which he designates as in "first plumage," evidently 

 a nestling, taken January 23, he says is "above lighter than the im- 

 mature specimen and grayer than the adult plumage. Below, includ- 

 ing throat, pale sulphurous white, becoming pinkish on sides, and 

 crissum, which is unmarked." The other, evidently an older bird, 

 taken February 19, is "above similar to adult but much darker, * * * 

 the bars across middle tail-feathers dull black. The outer half of 

 the pale cinnamon on end of tail-feathers finely mottled with dusky. 

 Under parts pale pinkish cinnamon; the entire throat obscured with 

 a faint dusky suffusion. Crissum darker than abdomen and un- 

 marked." 



Food. — Mr. Ridgway (1876) says that they "frequent the slaughter- 

 yards, where goats are killed, to glean insects from the drying bones." 

 And Mr. Bryant (1887) said: "Their food consisted mainly of cater- 

 pillars and beetles. I watched one pick to pieces and devour succes- 

 sively three small Carabide beetles." 



Behavior. — Mr. Bryant (1887) writes: 



They were by nature tamer than any birds I ever met with. While retreating, 

 if approached, they would in turn draw quite near to a person who remained 

 perfectly quiet. Sitting down one afternoon upon a log, I saw a Rock Wren come 

 hopping closer and closer to where I was resting, until at length he perched upon 

 my shoe. Then seeing a sandy spot just beyond, he availed himself of the 

 opportunity by taking a dust-bath. So close was he to me that I could have 

 reached him with my foot, yet constantly in motion, searching here and there 

 among the rocks for food, he seemed entirely unconscious of my presence. Even 



