Bartscli, The Wrens of Burlington, Iowa. 23 



for a hundred yards or more through tall reeds and duck weed (JVelumbiuin 

 luteum IFi^ZfZ.) getting a glimpse of him now and then but never long 

 enough to take an aim and finally loosing sight of him. The bubbling song 

 always reminds me of a flock of Black Birds in the distance. 



The fourth in order of abundance is the Bewick's Wren ( Thryothorus 

 beiviokii)- This bird is a rather uncertain summer resident ; for some years 

 he will fail to put in appearance and the next he may be quite abundant. This 

 strong voiced bird with his long whisping tail, like the House Wren, seeks the 

 habitation of man. 



The long tail lends him a rather queer aspect and the perpetual sweeping 

 of this organ in accent to every note, twist or turn cause him to appear not only 

 comic but even ludicrous. Of all the birds about our yard I think he is the 

 most pleasing as one never tires of his attitudes. Two instances of his breeding 

 within our city limits have come under my personal observation and in both 

 cases the nest was placed in a shed on the beam supporting the roof, i. e. where 

 the roof joins the wall. Both were bulky affairs ; the space, about 8 x 10 inches, 

 was filled for more than three feet with sticks of various sizes. The nest 

 proper, near the center was well lined with feathers from the common fowl, 

 picked up about the yard, and contained a set of six (May 25th, 1892, and May 

 30th, 1893,) which in each case were left unmolested in order to give me an 

 opportunity to observe the birds for a longer period. 



The Bewick's Wren is not contented with the limited stamping ground but 

 will roam over considerable territory. Even in nesting time he seems to foUow 

 the same route daily and if you have once followed him in his morning rambles 

 from fence to fence, yard to yard and bush to bush, you can easily keep in his 

 wake a second morning, for his path is practically the same. Only when the 

 young have made their appearance does he restrict his rambles to the immediate 

 vicinity and Uke the House Wren, his only ambition now seems to be to keep 

 the little gaping mouths supplied with food. As soon as the young are able to 

 move, the pair lead them off into new fields and consequently from our sight. 



The last of the lot, the Winter Wren {Troglodytes hiemalis)A^ ^ 

 winter resident, not common to be sure, yet one can always find him in his sea- 

 son if one knows where to seek him. 



When most of our birds have sought a warmer clime and the fast falling 

 leaves speak of approaching winter ; when the advance Snow Bird mingles with 

 the host of retreating Myrtle Warblers and the Blackbirds' flying train seems 

 endless, then our little inconspicuous friend comes from his Northern abode 

 to spend with us the cheerless winter. The rocky bluffs along the Mississippi 

 and its tributaries are his doifiain. The rougher the crag and denser the brush 

 that bounds it the better it suits his Wrenship. He is a very quiet unattractive 

 bird, uttering only a few notes of displeasure when disturbed as his short flight 

 takes him from one retreat to another. He carefully inspects the numerous 

 crevices of the rocky cliffs and gleans from them his sustenance. 



Returning spring finds him restless and more active, preparing for his 

 colder home, and when the last of the Snow Birds have left us, he is sure to 

 have disappeared from his favorite haunts. 



