382 THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC. 



It has been claimed that the name House Wren is a misnomer, be- 

 cause in the south during the winter these birds are found in the for- 

 ests miles from the nearest habitation. This, however, is owing to 

 circumstances over which the House Wren has no control. He is just 

 as much of a House Wren in the south as he is in the north ; you will 

 find a pair in possession of every suitable dwelling. The difficulty is 

 that in the winter there are more House Wrens than there are houses, 

 and, being of a somewhat irritable disposition, the House Wren will 

 not share his quarters with others of his kind. Late comers, there- 

 fore, who can not get a snug nook about a house or outbuilding, are 

 forced to resort to the woods. 



In the summer, when they are spread over a much greater area, 

 House Wrens are very particular in their choice of haunts, and for 

 this reason are locally distributed. I laving selected a nesting site, 

 they become much attached to it, and return to t lie same place year 

 after year. It may be a bird-box, a crevice in a building, a hollow in 

 an apple tree, or hole in a fence rail ; wherever it is, it is theirs, and 

 they will fight for it against all comers. 



The song of the H<>u-e Wren is delivered with characteristic en- 

 ergy a sudden outpouring of music which completely dominates the 

 singer, who with raised head and drooped tail trembles with the vio- 

 lence of his effort. 



72 Ib. T. a. aztecus i /.'//>/). WESTERN HOUSE WREN. Similar to 

 tin- pree.-d'm;:. !>ut upper parts lighter and less rufous, the back and rump 

 gem-rally distinctly barn-d with blaekish. 



Range. Interior of North America, cast to the Mississippi Valley; Min- 

 nesota, Illinois. 



722. Troglodytes hiemalis \'!i!U. WINTKK "WI-.KX. Ad.- -Upper 



parts dark eimiani -m-brown ; feathers "f the rump with eoneealed, ilmrny 

 white spots; wings and tail barred ; under parts washed witli ]"il? cinnamon- 

 brown^ the lower breast, sides, and belly more or less heavily barred with 

 black. L., 4-06 ; W., 1-89 ; T., 1-24 ; B.. 



Range. Eastern North America ; breeds from the Northern States north- 

 ward, and southward along the Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters from 

 Massachusetts and Illinois to Florida. 



Washington, rather common W. V., Sept. 25 t<> May 1. Sim: Sins.', tolera- 

 bly common W. V., Sept 18 to Apl. 27. Cambridge, T. V.. rather common, 

 Sept. 20 to Nov. 25; rare, Apl. 10 to May 1 : a very few winter. 



Nett) of small twigs and moss, lined with feathers, in the roots of a tree, 

 brush-heap, or similar place. " Eggt, five to seven, white or en amy white, 

 finely but rather sparingly speckled with reddish brown, sometimes nearly 

 immaculate, -69 x -50" (Ridgw.). 



When looking for a Winter Wren during the fall migration I go 

 to an old raspberry patch, and in the woods watch thn stumps and 



