BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 417 



reported it long since, and am unable to understand the reasons 

 why they persist in thus restricting it. I cheerfully concede 

 that the variety parkmanii (if well made, which I seriously 

 question) is the more abundant, but judged by all the shades 

 and measurements upon which it is maintained, the two grade 

 completely into each other oftentimes, in a half dozen indiv- 

 iduals comprised in the collections of a morning's basket. 

 Birds, eggs and nests, obtained within a few feet of each 

 other, and within the present city limits, have thrown all pre- 

 conceived distinctions out, not once only, but repeatedly. 

 Still I have thought best to follow the decrees, and record my 

 observations accordingly. 



The House Wren is first seen in spring about the 25th of 

 April, but he is generally heard first. Having long kept a 

 record of his first appearance, which puts me on the alert for 

 his sudden denouement, he could scarcely escape my notice, for 

 some of them at least never fail to resort to the roof of a dwel- 

 ling which if not my own, is not beyond the reach of my ear, 

 when the matchless little torrent of melody once breaks its 

 resorvoir, and inundates the entire vicinity. I have been 

 favored by its ultimate selection of my own premises, within 

 the boundaries of which to construct its nest, and rear its 

 young. This is begun as early as the 10th of May in favorable 

 seasons. Almost uniformly it is located about the eaves, or 

 gables of the house, or barn, as almost any other situation 

 would expose it to the maraudings of the numberless metropoli- 

 tan cats, that I am sorry to say are making bird rearing in the 

 trees and shrubbery of the city almost impossible. Of the 

 structure of the nests, or the appearance of the eggs, I have 

 no occasion to speak, so very familiar are they to those who 

 will be likely to ever read this report. 



I am sure of their rearing two broods uniformly, and three 

 frequently. Neither variety is found in all parts of the State, 

 but abundant in some. In the larger bodies of timber, and 

 their immediate vicinities, they are common about the dwellings 

 and outhouses. Mr. Washburn found them "abundant at St. 

 Vincent" and other places in the Red river valley. Dr. Hvoslef 

 also reports them in Fillmore county, during the summer. 

 They are reported common in the region about Duluth. Mr, 

 Grant does not include it amongst the birds observed at Ver- 

 milion lake in St. Louis county, however. 



They do not all leave the State until well on towards October. 



