TROGLODYTID.E — THE WRESTS — TROGLODYTES. 7I 



Troglodytes Parkmanni, Audubon. 



PARKMANN'S HOTJSE-WKEN. 



Troglodytes Parhnanni, Aitdubox, Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 310 (not figured). Ib. Birds Amer. 

 II. 1841, 133: pi- 122. — NUTT.S.LI,, Man. I. 2d ert. 483. — Baird, P. R. Rep. Birds, 

 IX. 3G7. — COOPEK .and Sucki-ev, XII. iii. Zool. of AV. T. 191. 



Sp. C11.A.R. Tail and iving.s abnuf (.■(lual. Bill shorter than thr- hoad. Above, dark 

 brown, darker towards the head, brighter on the lannp. The feathers everywhere, e.xecpt 

 on the head and neck, barred with dusky. All the tail feathers barred from the base ; 

 the contrast more ^-ivid on the exterior ones. Beneath, grayish-white, tinged with light 



brownish across tlic breast. Under tail coverts whitish, with dusky bars. An indistinct 

 line over the eye, eyelids, and loral region, whitish. Cheeks brown, streaked with whit- 

 ish. Length, 5.00; e.xtent, 6.50; wing, 2.12; tail, 2.12. Iris brown; bill dark brown, 

 bbii>li llesh-color at base below ; feet whitish or horn-brown. 



llnli. Western America, on the plains, and from the Missouri to the Pacific. 



This, the exact counterpart in habits of the Eastern honse-wren, is com- 

 inon in snnimer as thr m >rth as Puget's Sound ; but in winter I liave seen 

 liut few, and only in the Colorado A^alley. Tliere, true to their name, they 

 left the biishes, where they passed the day, to roost at nioht under tlie eaves 

 of the garrison buildings. In April they left that valley for the mountains, 

 liut some probably also winter towards the coast, as I have heard tliem at 

 San Francisco as early as the IGtli of [Marcli, and at Puget's Sound by 

 April 20th. 



Throughout the wdiole coast slope, and probably most of the interior, they 

 Iniild their nests, beginning near San Diego in April. There I found sev- 

 eral nests in hollows of trees at various heights, from five to forty feet up, 

 all composed of a floor and barricade of long dry twigs, grass, and bark 

 loosely placed, but interw(j\-en so as to leave only just room for the liird to 

 squeeze in over them. t)n this is laid a large quantity of feathers, of all 

 kinds of birds, and frequently snake-.skins ; and the eggs, varying from five 

 to seven (and probaldy nine), are reddish-white, densely speckled with dark 

 cinnamon dots. Size 0.S8 X 0.50 incli. Tliey no doubt raise two broods 

 annually, like the Eastern bird. 



