30 BIRDS OF THE PAPAGO SAGTJARO NATIONAL MONUMENT. 



ings. Eggs are laid from early April into June. During July and 

 August the young birds appear, flitting through the bushes in loosely 

 assembled companies. 



This is one case where a bird has received a thoroughly appro- 

 priate name, for wren and cactus are almost inseparable. Besides 

 using the cholla for nesting site and sanctuary from enemies, the 

 cactus wren, like many other birds, feeds upon the fruit. This is 

 frequently indicated by the stained feathers of the face. Nests 

 are sometimes placed in the branching arms of the saguaro, high 

 above the ground; sometimes in yuccas or palms, and sometimes, 

 though rarely, in mesquite or other brush; but the cholla is the 

 usual choice. 



Like the marsh wren, the cactus wren sometimes builds several 

 nests in close proximity so as to give the appearance of a colony 

 of the birds. Some of the nests are used the year through, presum- 

 ably for sleeping or shelter, and the wrens may be seen repairing 

 them in midwinter. 



House wrens and others of the family are, as a rule, rather tame 

 and confiding in their actions, sometimes prying curiously into 

 their human neighbors' belongings and not strongly resentful when 

 he responds in kind. The cactus wren in his native chaparral, how- 

 ever, is one of the wariest of birds, suspicious to a degree, and show- 

 ing marked intelligence in eluding observation or capture. At the 

 first suspicion of pursuit he is off, skimming close over the ground 

 to the shelter of some thick bush at a distance. He does not stop 

 there, though, but at once emerges from the far side for another 

 flight. This is repeated again, and yet again, with intervals of 

 short runs, perhaps (for the cactus wren sprints like a thrasher), 

 until the threatening danger is safely outdistanced. 



The cactus wren is not a musician, about the only sound to which 

 he gives utterance being a harsh, chuckling call, not at all loud or 

 far-reaching. There is a suggestion of derision in this call note, 

 as given from some dense thicket into which the bird has plunged 

 or from what he deems a safe distance. 



In southern California the cactus wren has practically disap- 

 peared from those regions that have been cleared of chaparral, but 

 in Arizona I was pleased to note numerous instances where the 

 birds seemed to have become reconciled to changes that had resulted 

 in the removal of all desert vegetation. On the grounds of the 

 State capitol, at Phoenix, on May 29, several were seen foraging on 

 the lawns and pursuing one another through the palms and other 

 ornamental shrubbery. 



In cultivated land near Tempe cactus wrens were seen repeatedly 

 in brush piles or shrubbery near the farmhouses, where there cer- 

 tainly was no cactus or other desert vegetation for miles. Instances 



