154 NOKTH A.MEIUCAX JHHp.S. 



Dr. Cooper lias «iiK-e olismcd tlieiii in Caliluniia, iiiid in the whiter, in 

 tile Colorado N'allcy, wliero they roo.steil at niyht under tlie eaves of the gar- 

 rison I)uildin-s. They make their appearance at San Francisc. as early 

 as March 10, and nest at San Dii-o in April, ile has fonnd their ne.sts 

 in hollow trees at varions hci-hts, iroiii five to i'oity leet, all composed of a 

 lloor and l)ai'ricade of long- dry twigs, grass, and hark, loosely placed, hut so 

 interwoven as to leave only, just space for the birds to scpieeze in over them. 

 They are warmly lined with a large (juantity of leathers. Their eggs he 

 gives as from five to nine in iiumher. 



The Lite ]Mr. Hephurn has furnished more full and e.xact information in 

 regard to this species. We give it in his own words. 



"The T.parkminuii is the conmion wren of A'ancouver Island, far more 

 so than of California, where 1 have ibund the P.ewick's Wren (7'. hnriclii) 

 nmch more numerous, rarkman's Wren huilds its ne.st in li„ll„w trees in 

 Vancouver Lsland, ahout the middle of Jhiy, forming it of small sticks laid 

 at the bottom of the hole, neatly and comfortably lining it on the inside with 

 feathei-s that arch over the eggs. It will also rcailily avail itself of any 

 similar and e(iually convenient cavity. I have known these birds to build 

 under the roof of a frame house, entering by a hole between the tojunost 

 board and the shingles; also in a hole in a gate-])ost, through which gate 

 peo])le were continually passing; and also over a doorway, getting in by a 

 loose board, in a place where the nest could be reached by the hand. In 

 IHol' I put a cigar-bo.x, with a hole . t in one end, between the forks of a 

 tree in a garden at Victoria. A jiair of Wrens sjieedily took jiossession of 

 It and formed their nest therein, hiving .seven eggs, the first on the l.Sth of 

 ]\Iay. The eggs (jf this Wi'cn are white, thickly freckled with pink sixit.s, 

 so much so in some s])eciniens as to give a general pink a])pearance to the 

 ogg it.self, but forming a zone of a darker hue near the larger end. They 

 are .<S1 df an inch in length l)y .."iO in wiiltli." 



Their eggs re.send.lc those of the T. mJon .so as to be hardly distingui.sh- 

 id.le, yet on comparing several sets of each there ,scem to be these constant 

 ditferciice.s. The sjiots of the western species iire finer, less marked, more 

 numeruus, and of a ])iiiker shade of reddi.sh-lirown. The egg.s, t(.o, range a 

 little smaller in size, though exhibiting great variations. In one nest'the 

 average measurement of its seven eggs is .(10 by .r.(). tjiat of another set of 

 the .same number .70 liy .HO of an inch. 



In all respects, Iial)its, manners, and notes, Tarkman's Wren is a ])eifccl 

 counterpart of the eastern Hoii.se Wren. In the country east of the Siena 

 Nevada it almost wholly replaces the \\cstern lUnvick'.s Wren (Thr>/ot/ion>s 

 hririd-i:\\iiv..y>i/in-i's),nm\ inhabits any wooded localities, as little preference 

 being giveti to the cottonwoods of tiie river valleys as to the aspen grovc-s 

 high up in the mountains. 



