THE WINTER WREN. 267 



No. 116. 



WINTER WREN. 



A. O. U. No. 722. Olbiorchilus hiemalis (Vieill.). 



Description. — Adult: Above, warm dark brown (burnt umber), duller be- 

 fore, brighter on rump, obscurely waved or barred with dusky on back, wings, and 

 tail ; edges of four or five outer primaries spotted with white at regular intervals ; 

 concealed white spots on rump scarce, or almost wanting ; a pale superciliary line ; 

 sides of head speckled, brownish and white; under parts everywhere finely mot- 

 tled, speckled, or barred, — on the throat and breast mingled brownish (Isabella- 

 color) and white, below dusky and white, dusky predominating over brown on 

 flanks and crissum ; bill comparatively short, straight, blackish above, lighter below ; 

 feet light brown. Length about 4.00 (101.6) ; average of five Columbus speci- 

 mens: wing 1.86 (47.2) ; tail 1.26 (32.) ; bill .40 (10.2). 



Recognition Marks. — Pygmy size ; dark brown above, lighter below ; more 

 or less speckled and barred all over ; tail shorter than in preceding species. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in Ohio. Nest, of moss and a few small 

 twigs, lined heavily with feathers, placed among roots of upturned tree, or in cran- 

 nies of decayed stumps, brush-heaps, etc., Bggs, 5-7, white or creamy-white, dotted 

 finely but sparingly with reddish brown; occasionally blotched with the same; 

 sometimes almost unmarked. Average size, .69 x .50 (17.5 x 12.7). 



General Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from the northern parts 

 of the United States northward, and in the Alleghanies south to North CaroHna. 

 Winters from about its southern breeding limits southward. 



Range in Ohio. — Regular during migrations, wintering southerly. Found 

 in winter sparingly in the central portions, casual northerly. A few linger in 

 northern Ohio into late May and are suspected of breeding. 



WHEN the woods are bare and the leaves are huddled into corners to 

 escape the teasing of a November wind, a little brown shadow flashes up for an 

 instant at the edge of a brush heap, chitters apprehensively once or twice, and 

 is gone again, just as you have made up your mind that the Winter Wren has 

 come. A cautious foot resting on the heap and stirring gently will bring him 

 out again to estimate the danger. How deliciously absurd it is! this tiny 

 creature with its sparkling eyes and dumpy form. Its tail, too, is turned 

 up until it leans the other way, and it gives one the impression that the bird 

 will tumble forward and nothing to prevent it. 



When driven from one cover the Winter Wren instantly seeks another, 

 and spends little time a-wing, except as it flits from branch to branch. It is 

 to be found principally along river bottoms and in ravines, under overhanging 

 banks, and about upturned roots of trees. Some occasionally venture into the 



