Plate XLIL 



THRYOMANES BEWICKI-Bewick's Wren. 



This species Avas discovered and named in the year 1821 by Mr. Audubon, but nothing was known 

 of its breeding habits until 1844. According to *' North American Birds," Mr, Baird, in this year, dis- 

 covered its nest and eggs. Mr. Quick, of Brookville, Indiana, found a nest and eggs at that phace a few 

 years ago, but so far as I am aw^ire it has never been found nesting in Ohio until the present season 

 (1882). There are reasons to suspect that in the southern portion of the state this species is not an 

 infrequent summer resident, but, if so, it has escaped observation. Where observed, its time of arrival 

 and dej^arture is about the same as the House Wren's, and two or three broods are reared darino- the 

 summer. The following notes are compiled from various authorities and are doubtless correct for this 

 state as well as for tliose in which the bird is plentiful. 



LOCALITY : 



Barns, stables, and out-houses of every description are frequented for nesting. Stumps, brush-heaps, 

 hollow trees, fence-rails, and similar places are also selected at times. The country is preferred to the town. 



POSITION: 



The nest usually rests upon an horizontal surface, and is, almost invariably, placed in a box, can, 

 mortise-hole, or some snug little nook into wd:iich the birds can creep, having in this respect the same 

 habit as the House Wren. 



MATERIALS : 



Sticks, straws, bark, rootlets, leaves, strings, paper, rags, wool, hair, cobweb, and feathers, in various 

 combinations and propoi^tions, are the materials of construction. The foundation and superstructure are 

 made principally of straws and small sticks; the lining is usually composed of soft feathers from the 

 poultry-yard. The cavity is generally open above, measuring in diameter about two and one-fourth inches 

 and in depth about one and seven-eighths inches. The external dimensions vary with situation. 



EGGS: 



The complement of eggs varies from four to six or seven. They measure in long-diameter from .60 

 to .68, and in short-diameter from .48 to ,54. A common size is .49 x .64. They are spotted and speckled 

 with reddish-brown, sparingly about the point but plentifully toward the crown, where the marks are often 

 confluent forming a wreath. The deep shell-marks are purplish. 



DIFFERENTIAL POINTS : 



The nest and eggs of Bewick's Wren resemble very closely some specimens of the House Wren's in 



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