WINTER WREN. 395 



the neighborhood of their dwelling. Their greatest enemy in this 

 respect at present is the House Sparrow, who x does not hesitate to 

 eject the Wrens, when their premises appear to suit his purpose. 

 This habit may in time drive the Wrens back to their original mode 

 of life in the woods. 



We should be very sorry if this should ever come to pass, for the 

 Wrens are industrious insect hunters, prying into many out-of-the- 

 way corners which no other bird would stop to examine. 



In Manitoba and the North- West, this is replaced by a closely 

 allied species, named Parkman's Wren, which is common on the 

 Pacific coast and east to the Mississippi Valley. 



SUBGENUS ANORTHURA RENNIE. 

 TROGLODYTES HIEMALIS (VIEILL.). 



299. Winter Wren. (722) 



Deep brown above, darkest on the head, brightest on the rump and tail, 

 obscurely waved with dusky and sometimes with whitish also ; tail like rump ; 

 wings, dusky, edged with color of back, and dark barred ; several outer prim- 

 aries also whitish barred; a superciliary line and obscure streaks on sides of 

 head and neck whitish ; below, pale brown ; belly, flanks and under tail coverts, 

 strongly barred with dusky. Length, about 4; wing, 2 or less; tail, 1J or less. 



HAB. Eastern North America generally, breeding from the northern parts 

 parts of the United States northward, and wintering from about its southern 

 breeding limit southward. 



Nest, in moist places among fallen trees or upturned roots, usually a ball of 

 green moss, warmly lined with feathers, entrance by a hole at one side. 



Eggs, five to six, clear white, spotted with reddish-brown. 



In Southern Ontario, the Winter Wren is most frequently seen 

 during the periods of migration, but a few remain and raise their 

 young in suitable places throughout the country. There is a cedar 

 swamp in West Flamboro', made impenetrable by fallen timber, 

 moss-grown and going to decay. In the stillness and gloom of that 

 uninviting region, I have listened to the song of the Winter Wren in 

 the month of June, and thought it one of the most pleasing specimens 

 of bird music I have been privileged to hear. Tinged with melan- 

 choly it may be, but there is still a hopeful sprightliness about it that 

 seems to rise above the gloomy surroundings and point to a brighter 

 world outside. I have not heard of the species having been observed 



