BIRDS. 191 



gray body and black croAA'n and tail, sitting in the bushes on the 

 lake shore, looking conscious of observation, but unafraid. 



The bird has been seen by Mr. Bryant, both in the park and on the 

 Flathead, and in June, 1895. Messrs. Bailey and Howell reported one 

 or two seen on Willow Creek near the Blackfeet Agency, now Brown- 

 ing. 



Family TROGLODYTID^E: Wrens. 



EocK Wren: Salpiiictes ohsoletus ohsoletus. — Although the rock 

 wren is mainly a bird of warmer zones, it has been reported by so 

 many observers that it should be sharply looked for. Its wrennish 

 figure and graduated tail with subterminal band of black, held like 

 a spread fan tilted up at its back, are enough to identify it. 



Dr. Grinnell writes me that he has an impression that he has seen 

 it on the east side of the park, and the botanist, Mr. Marcus E. Jones, 

 unqualifiedly records seeing it "among the rocks." Mr. Bryant has 

 never collected it. but feels confident 

 that he has seen it, as do Mr. Gibb 

 and Mr. Gird. 



Western House Wrex : Troglo- 

 dytes aedon farkifinani. — The house 

 wren was found August 5 on Swift- 

 current Creek, a mile below Many 

 Glaciers, singing volubly and acting- 

 interested in a hole in a stub. Mr. 

 Gibb says a number of the wrens are 

 seen around LeAvis's on Lake Mc- 

 Donald. 



Western Winter Wren: N annus From Handbook of west.m bms. 

 hiemcdis pacifciis.— Along the Gun- ^"'- so-westem house wren, 

 sight Trail we heard the tinkling song of the little bobtailed wintei" 

 wren coming from a dark thicket in the mossy woods; and again at 

 Wall Lake, before a thunderstorm had cleared, the gloom of the well- 

 like cir(|ue and its black water bordered by dark spruce woods was 

 relieved by the sprightly song of the jolly little wren. 



But not until we were following the bear-tracked Kootenai trail 

 through the dark Engelmann spruce forest did we get our first sight 

 of the brown mite. On the trail beside some fallen logs we were ar- 

 rested by its " watch-winding " scold, as Mr. Bailey expressed it, 

 and discovered a pair of old wrens with stubby tails up over their 

 backs, and one fuzzy-headed, yellow-gaped youngster just out of the 

 nest. With quivering wings and tAvitching tail, the parent on guard 

 scolded around in nerA^ous solicitude, not daring to call attention to 

 the youngster by feeding it even Avhen food Avas brought. Occasiou- 



51140°— 18 16 



