THE ROCK WREN. _ 315 
of the crown feathers will quite win him over, so that he will accept a 
gently insistent finger in place of the twig which has been his support. 
The unfaltering trust of childhood has subdued many a savage heart, but 
when it is exemplified in a baby Wren one feels the ultimate appeal to 
tenderness. 
Mr. Brown, of Glacier, coming upon an old Russet-backed Thrush 
nest at dusk, thrust an exploratory finger over its brim. Judge of his 
surprise when out swarmed seven young Winter Wrens. Mr. Brown feels 
reasonably sure, however, that the birds were hatched elsewhere, and that 
they were only roosting temporarily in the larger nest, in view of its ampler 
accommodations. 
No. 121. 
ROCK WREN. 
A. O. U. No. 715. Salpinctes obsoletus (Say). 
Description.—A dults: Above brownish gray changing on rump to cinnamon- 
brown, most of the surface speckled by arrow-shaped marks containing, or con- 
tiguous to, rounded spots of whitish; wing-quills color of back, barred with dusky 
on outer webs; middle pair of tail-feathers color of back barred with dusky ; 
remaining rectrices barred with dusky on outer webs only, each with broad sub- 
terminal bar of blackish and tipped broadly with cinnamon-buff area varied by 
dusky marbling; outermost pair broadly blackish- and cinnamon-barred on both 
webs; a superciliary stripe of whitish; a broad post-ocular stripe of grayish 
brown; sides of head and underparts dull white shading into pale cinnamon or 
vinaceous buff on flanks and under tail-coverts; sides of head, throat and upper 
breast spotted, mottled or streaked obscurely with grayish brown or dusky ; under 
tail-coverts barred or transversely spotted with dusky. Bill dark horn-color above, 
paling below ; feet and legs brownish dusky; iris brown. Young birds are more or 
less barred or vermiculated above, without white speckling, and are unmarked 
below. Length: 5.50-6.00 (139.7-152.4) ; wing 2.76 (70) ; tail 2.09 (53) ; bill .7o 
(17.7) ; tarsus .83 (21). 
Recognition Marks.—Warbler size; variegated tail with broad buffy tips 
distinctive ; rock-haunting habits. 
Nesting.—West: in crannies of cliffs, of twigs, grasses, wool, hair and other 
soft substances, approached by runway of rock-chips or pebbles. Eggs: 5-7, white 
or pinkish white, sprinkled somewhat sparingly with pale cinnamon, chiefly about 
larger end. Av. size .73 x .56 (18.5 x 14.2). Season: May ist to June 20th; two 
broods. 
General Range.—Western United States, northern and central Mexico, and 
southern British Columbia, chiefly in hilly districts; eastward across Great Plains 
to Kansas, Nebraska, etc.; retires from northern portion of range in winter. 
Range in Washington.—Summer resident and migrant in open country east 
