WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. 443 



parts smaller, and colors more suffused. Length : 7-8, wing 3.18-3.60, tail 

 3-3.40, exposed culmen .80-1. 



Distribution. Resident in Lower Sonoran zone, from southern Texas 

 west to southern California, and from southwestern Utah to central Mexico. 



Nest. In cactus, yucca, or thorny bush, bulky, flask -shaped, in hori- 

 zontal position, entrance at mouth of flask; made of sticks and coarse 

 straws, lined with feathers. Eggs : 4 to 7, whitish or buffy often hidden 

 by reddish brown spotting. 



The cactus wren seems on first acquaintance, in a cactus and mes- 

 quite thicket, the most unwren-like of wrens. Its big size, black- 

 ish color, and grating, monotonous chut, chut, chut, chut, have little 

 to suggest its small brown, sweet- voiced relatives. Its pose, how- 

 ever, is like that of the Carolina wren, for it sings on top of a 

 bare branch, with head up and tail hanging. It is a conspicuous 

 bird in that strange land of cactus, mesquite, and yucca, and fits 

 into its desert surroundings as well as its odd nest does in among 

 the yucca bayonets or cactus thorns. Its nests are so common that 

 in driving through the country one comes to pass them without 

 comment, unless the eye is caught by a particularly perfect retort 

 form for a photograph. 



In New Mexico, Mr. Anthony found the wrens repairing their 

 nests in the fall, and thinks that they roost in them in winter, and 

 use them for protection against storms. He believes that each pair 

 of wrens keep several nests in order for this purpose. 



713a. H. b. bryanti Anthony. BRYANT CACTUS WREN. 



Similar to couesi, but thick ovate spotting extending over belly and 

 sides ; under parts tinged with buffy, and tail with three lateral feathers 

 distinctly barred with white. 



Distribution. From southern California south to Lower California. 



GENUS SALPINCTES. 



715. Salpinctes obsoletus (Say). ROCK WREN. 1 



Bill about as long as head, slender, compressed, decurved at tip ; wing 

 longer than tail ; tail rounded, feath- 

 ers broad ; feet small and weak ; tar- 

 sus longer than middle toe, scaled 

 behind. Adults: Upper parts dull ^^ 



grayish brown, finely flecked with black p- 



and white dots ; rump light brown ; 

 tail graduated, tipped with buffy brown and with subterminal band of 

 black ; middle tail feathers narrowly barred with blackish ; under parts 

 dull whitish, brownish on flanks ; chest usually finely speckled. Young : 

 upper parts rusty gray ; under parts whitish anteriorly, brownish on flanks 

 and under tail coverts. Length: 5.12-6.35, wing 2.68-2.80, tail 2.12-2.40, 

 bill from nostril .44-.S4. 



1 Salpinctes obsoletus pulverius Grinnell. SAN NICOLAS ROCK WREN. 

 Like obsoletus, but entire plumage suffused with ochraceous or dust color. 

 Distribution. San Nicolas Island, California. (The Auk, xv. 238.) 



