68 N'ESTS AND EGGS OF BIRDS. 



coast of Lower California, is said ingeniously to barricade the 

 entrance to its nest with an artificial wall of pebbles, leaving 

 an aperture only just large enough to pass. 



As to the period of laying, there is also great diversity. Dr. 

 Cooper's Fort Benton nest contained nine eggs in June ; Capt. 

 Bendirc found fresh eggs at Camp Harney, Oregon, May 9 ; 

 in New ^Mexico, Mr. Henshaw took a nest containing three 

 voung and one &'g^ ^^^^ ^1i ^*'"^<J another with four nearlv 

 fledged young, [ulv 28 ; Dr. CoojDcr found young birds in May 

 at San Diego, and on Guadaloupe Island the eggs are laid early 

 in April. There seems no doubt that two broods are reared. 



The eggs vary greatly in shape and proportions, and four to 

 eight constitute a clutch, — usually seven. They are polished, 

 crvstal-white, spotted, chiefly in a wreath about the larger end, 

 with distinct reddish-brown dots, usually massed at the large 

 end or wreathed around it. They bear little resemblance to 

 any other eggs of this family, unless it may be those of the 

 winter wren. 



The behavior of the owners when one is in close search for 

 a rock wren's homestead, as described by Capt. Bendire, is 

 worth mention, as showing how all their wren-instincts work 

 together toward the concealment of their cryptic property. 



A pair had a nest within eighty yards of my house, for which I looked 

 ahnost daily, but they reared their young to almost full size before I found 

 them, aild although I reached more than once within a foot, the old birds 

 seemed perfectly' unconcerned, perched on a rock within a few feet of 

 me, flipping their tails up and down, as if in derision at my vain at- 

 tempts to find their nest. 



Concerning the race of this wren on Guadaloupe Island, we 

 have the following information from Dr. Edward Palmer : 



Their general habits are not peculiar. April 5, 1875, a female was 

 taken, with the nest and eggs. The nest was built on the ground be- 

 neath a rock, which sheltered it from the prevailing winds ; it was lined 

 with goats' hair and contained two fresh eggs ; a third, nearly ready to 

 be laid, was found on opening the bird. Another nest, containing three 

 eggs, was found in the crevice of a large rock some five feet high. The 

 fissure was about eighteen inches deep ; and, being more capacious than 



