NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 313 



713. Cactus Wren. Heleodytes brunneicapillus. 



Range. Southwestern United States from Texas to eastern California; north 

 to southern Nevada and Utah. 



This species is the largest of the Wrens, being 8.5 inches in 

 length. They are very common in cactus and chaparral dis- 

 tricts, where they nest at low elevations in bushes or cacti, 

 making large purse-shaped structures of grasses and thorny 

 twigs, lined with feathers and with a small entrance at one 



end. They raise two or three broods a year, the first set of eggs 



being laid early in April; the eggs are creamy white, dotted, | creamy white] 

 so thickly as to obscure the ground color, with pale reddish brown. Size 

 .95 x .65. Data. Placentia, Cal., April 15, 1901. Nest in cactus about 6 feet 

 from the ground; made of grasses and lined with feathers and rabbit fur; nest 8 

 inches in diameter, 18 inches long. Collector, Hartwell Bradford. 

 7 I 3a. Bryant Cactus Wren. H. b. bryanti. 



Range. Northern Lower California and coast of southern California. 



The nesting habits of this variety differ in no respect from those of the last. 

 7l3b. St. Lucas Cactus Wren. H. b. affinis. 



Range. Southern Lower California. 



Eggs indistinguishable from those of the last. 

 7 I 3c. Desert Cactus Wren. H. b. anthonyi. 



Range. Desert regions of southwestern United States, taking the place of 

 713 in New Mexico and Arizona, and confining that variety to the Lower Rio 

 Grande Valley in Texas. 



715. Rock Wren. Salpinctes obsoletus. 



Range. United States, west of the Plains, breeding north to British Colum- 

 bia, and south to Mexico; winters in southwestern United States and southward. 

 This species appears to be quite abundant on rocky hillsides 

 throughout its range; like most of the Wrens they draw attention 

 to themselves by their loud and varied song . They nest in crevices 

 or beneath overhanging rocks, making the nest out of any trash 

 that may be handy, such as weeds, grass, wool, bark, rootlets, 

 [White.] e tc; their eggs range from four to eight in number and are pure 

 white, finely specked with reddish brown. Size .72 x .50. 



716. Guadalupe Rock Wren. Salpinctes guadeloupensis. 

 Range. Guadalupe Island, Lower California. 



A similar but darker and browner species than the Rock Wren. It breeds in 

 abundance throughout the island from which it takes its name, placing its 

 nests in crevices among the boulders or cavities of fallen tree trunks and, as is 

 often done by the last species, lining the pathway to the nest with small 

 pebbles. The eggs, which are laid from January to April, resemble, in all 

 respects, those of the common Rock Wren. 



717. White-throated Wren. Catherpes mexicamis albifrons. 



Range. Northeastern Mexico and the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. 



The habits of the White-throated Wren are the same as those of the Canon 

 W T ren, which variety is more common and better known; the eggs of this- 

 species are not distinguishable from those of the next. 

 7 I 7a. Canon Wren. Catherpes mexicanus conspersus. 



Range. Rocky Mountain region and west to the Sierra Nevadas; north to 

 Wyoming and Idaho and south to New Mexico and Arizona. 



The Canon Wrens are uniform rusty brown all over except the large sharply 

 defined white throat patch; the underparts, wings and tail are barred with black, 

 and the back is specked with white. Their name is well chosen for they are 

 found abundantly in rocky canyons, ravines, and side hills. They nest in 

 crevices or caves among the rocks, placing their nests in small niches; they are 

 made of twigs, leaves, grasses and feathers, and the three to six eggs, which are 

 laid from April to June according to locality, are white, sprinkled and blotched 

 with reddish brown and lilac. Size .72 x .52. 



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