OUR WESTERN WRENS. 139 



narrow entrance, so that it seems almost impos- 

 sible that the old bird can squeeze herself into it. 

 Of course it is not easy for the little birds to 

 get out, as they must, in some cases, climb many 

 feet. It is supposed that the old birds help the 

 young in getting out into the world when it is 

 time. They may "boost" from behind, as the 

 bluebirds are said to do, or they may build a 

 ladder or foot-rest of twigs. If our mockers and 

 towhees and other birds in the gardens would 

 make such provision for keeping the young at 

 home until they are ready to fly, there would not 

 be so many falling out of the nest " before they 

 are ripe." The eggs of the Parkman wren are 

 five to nine, of a pinkish white color. Dr. Park- 

 man, for whom the bird was named, found a nest 

 in an old horse's skull that had been placed on 

 top of a fence. 



These wrens are said to be even now changing 

 their habits to those of the Eastern house- wren; 

 for they have been known to accept cigar-boxes 

 nailed in a tree, and may even come to a house or 

 barn in which snug little holes offer attractive 

 nesting-places. 



The wren family is so large in California, it 

 would take a whole book to describe them and 

 their ways. Children who care to study birds for 



