ROCK WREN. 
Salpinctes obsoletus CABANIS. 
‘Aly"HE ROCKY MOUNTAINS surpass in grandeur the Sierra Nevada and the Alle- 
¢ a ghanies, but they are often destitute of the beautifully romantic and delightful 
scenery of the former. The Sierras are covered with the most stately evergreens bear- 
ing needle-like foliage, and the Alleghanies are adorned with a luxurious growth of 
various deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, but mainly with the broad-leaved 
rhododendrons and kalmias or mountain Jaurels. In the southern Alleghanies especially 
the mountain sides are aglow with the flowers of Azalea calendulacea in June, and the 
odor of the pink Azalea nudiflora—both plants are usually called ‘mountain honeysuckles”’ 
by the people of that region—is sometimes overpowering. “The Rocky Mountains are 
in many parts barren and desolate, and, to some extent, waterless. In such places our 
eyes behold no shrub: only a few species of grass and cacti representing the vegetable 
kingdom. We can hardly imagine why living beings should make the ravines and cracks 
in the rocks their abode. Suddenly a sweet melodious song strikes our ear, unexpectedly 
changing our melancholy into good humor. We endeavor to spy the songster among 
the lonely rocks and behold at a distance, perched on a boulder, a little bird, the Rock 
Wren. In Wren-like fashion, with elevated beak and tail it carols forth its loud and 
exceedingly melodious wild mountain song, and then disappears with mouse-like rapidity 
among the rocks. Very few birds are found in such arid localities. The majority of the 
feathered songsters are found near water fringed with shrubs and trees. But the Rock 
Wren prefers a wider range. We find it in great abundance in all localities, where a 
luxurious growth of trees and shrubs abound—and such places are also found in the 
Rocky Mountains. It ranges north to the 49° and south into Mexico, and from the 
foot-hills of the mountains to the Pacific, always preferring mountainous districts for 
its home. According to Mr. Trippe it appears at Idaho Springs, Colorado, about May 
20, and extends its range up to, and a little above, the timber-line. “It breeds most 
abundantly between 6,500 and 9,500 feet, rarely nesting higher than the latter elevation, 
though found during summer from 12,000 feet down to the plains. It is a constant 
resident of the piles of loose rock which lie scattered on the mountain sides, in which it 
finds its food and rears its young, and to which it retreats for safety on being alarmed. 
On its first arrival it is rather shy, but soon becomes tame and even familiar, haunting 
piles of boulders and small stones in the placer diggings, close to the miners’ cabins. 
It rarely ventures far from its favorite rocky retreats; but occasionally visits the road 
sides to pick up flies and other insects, and sometimes hops over the roofs of cabins 
and mills, and not infrequently chooses the ridge of a convenient place from which to 
serenade its note. It has a curious, rapidly repeated note, that sounds like the whirring 
of wings; its song is very beautiful, louder and sweeter than that of the House Wren, 
though not so varied. While singing, the bird usually perches on the top of a heap of 
stones, and stands ereét, with head thrown up, like the Carolina Wren. At such times 
it is quite timid and, if alarmed, instantly ceases the song and looks anxiously around, 
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