BIRD NOTES AFIELD 



up the sides of the head. A conspicuous stripe of buffy yellow 

 or brown above the eye is also a distinguishing mark. The 

 throat and breast, except where black, are yellowish or orange 

 brown in color, while the American robin is brick red or chest- 

 nut on the breast. The back of both species is slate or plum- 

 beous in color. 



The wren-tit does its best to atone for the meditative ways 

 of the varied robin. Considerably less than half its size, it is, 

 nevertheless, such a bustling little chatterbox that its presence 

 is soon made manifest to the attentive seeker after bird lore. 

 Search the world over and you will not find its counterpart 

 outside of California. He is a plain brown little fellow and 

 as merry as a brownie ought to be in his canon home. 



While some of our winter birds are so sociably inclined that 

 they come to our gardens, others must be sought in their retreats 

 among the hills. Of this latter class is the wren-tit, and also, 

 for the most part, Townsend's sparrow. Stepping into the 

 dense undergrowth of the canon some January morning we 

 may hear a great scratching going on in the thicket. By stand- 

 ing quietly for a time and watching the spot intently we may be 

 rewarded by a glimpse of this very interesting species. At first 

 sight the general style of coloration reminds us of a thrush. 

 The back is plain, dark, grayish brown, becoming more rufous 

 in tone on the wings and tail, and the breast is white, spotted 

 with triangular markings of brown. But the build of the bird 

 is as different from a thrush as can well be imagined. Note the 

 stout beak, the thick-set, stocky legs, the compact shape of the 

 body. See with what vigor it scratches away the dead leaves 

 in search of food. It is a solitary bird during its winter sojourn 

 in our southern latitudes, and never a very abundant species, 



[70] 



