90 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



after completing her search inside she goes over 

 the outside of the many-cracked shanty as care- 

 fully as she has gone over the inside. But I am 

 confident she finds it unprofitable labor; for, 

 since my house is, in true desert fashion, only 

 one board thick, she must peer into the same 

 cracks from the outside that she has already 

 searched through from the inside. 



As soon as I open my door in the morning I 

 find Betsy seated on the rock just outside, 

 fidgeting, bowing, and bobbing, and waiting for 

 me to quiet down so that she can come in to get 

 her crumbs and insects. If I am too long at 

 getting my breakfast over, her bobbing motion 

 takes on a more determined manner and she 

 fidgets more than ever, showing her impatience, 

 and vociferously protesting because I have kept 

 her so long outside. I can almost hear her say: 

 "Hurry up! Hurry up! I've been waiting on 

 you a whole hour already!" 



A long search among the rock ledges during 

 March and April if you are on the desert, or 

 later if in the mountains, may bring you to the 

 nest situated in some deep rock nook or crevice. 

 If the rock wrens have found it possible they 



