THE BIRDS OF ONEIDA COUNTY. 143 



206. Troglodytes aedon VIEILL. 721. 



House Wren. 



A summer resident ; not nearly so common as formerly. Breeds. 



207. Troglodytes hiemalis VIEILL. 722. 



Winter Wren. 



Not uncommon. Breeds. A female taken at Utica, May 17th, 

 1879, contained an egg fully developed except the shell, which 

 was still soft. During the summer of 1885 thirteen nests were 

 found near Holland Patent, and the birds were watched while 

 building twelve of them, and not one of these was occupied. The 

 thirteenth nest contained six eggs when found. One of these 

 nests, which was built but not occupied in 1885, was occupied 

 during 1886, and a brood of young raised in it. A nest taken 

 July 16th, 1885, (undoubtedly a second laying, as a nest was found 

 with young in May,) two miles north of Holland Patent, was 

 placed under the roots of a fallen tree, in a small cavity in the 

 roots, about two feet above the ground, composed of moss, hem- 

 lock twigs, roots and pieces of rotten wood, and lined, first with 

 fine grass and then with grouse feathers and horse hair ; a compact 

 mass of material, filling the cavity, and containing in its centre a 

 cosy nest, to which entrance was obtained by a small round open- 

 ing in the side. The eggs, six in number, were white, rather 

 evenly marked with small spots and dots of reddish brown, and 

 measured, .67 x .50, .67 x .49, .65 x .49, .67 z .50, .63 x .47, inches. 



208. Cistothorus stellaris (LICHT.). 724 



sh<.rt-MIle<l .Tlai-wli Wren. 



" Mr. Romeyn B. Hough shot two females of this wren, October 

 27th, 1877, in the town of New Bremen, in Lewis County, and 

 writes me that he is 'confident that they breed there every 

 year.' "(Merriam. Preliminary List of the Birds of the Adi- 

 rondack Region.) 



