LAND BIRDS. 671 
and pieces of cotton that I laid out for that purpose. I have no good 
record of the song, but I take the following from my notes: ‘His usual 
song is short, but very pretty; and although it is not much like that of 
our common wren (House Wren) it resembles it in being slow at first, 
and more rapid near the close. He has many other songs (variations, 
it might perhaps better have been said), one of which is like the one 
described, only more slow throughout.” 
“On May 16 two birds were seen, and it appeared to me from their actions 
that the one that had built the nest was attempting to coax the other bird 
to it. They were much annoyed during the day by a male Bluebird whose 
mate was sitting on five eggs in a bird house but a short distance away, 
and were frequently forced to retire into the lumber pile to avoid his 
attacks. Whether for this reason, or whether for some other less apparent 
I do not know, but greatly to my disappointment both birds disappeared 
on that day, and I did not see cither of them again. 
The nest I saved in its box, and it is now deposited in the Museum of 
the University of Michigan. I had made no description of the nest, and 
at my request Mr. Norman A. Wood has kindly sent me the following: 
‘The nest is in a box 64 x 44 inches, 34 inches high, and occupies about 
one-half of the space in the box. The foundation, or base, of the nest, is 
composed of roots of bushes and weeds, a few sticks, and a string about 
a foot long. The rest of the nest is made of fine rootlets, and with them 
is a little wool or cotton [cotton, see above]; this is built up to form a rim, 
making a cup-shaped interior 2 inches in depth and diameter. The nest 
is at the end opposite the entrance, which is 11 inches square, and a few 
of the roots extend to this entrance.’ 
“During the same spring, 1894, I heard birds which I took to be Bewick’s 
Wrens singing at one or two other places in the city, but did not see any 
of them. Whether my birds returned in 1895 I am unable to say, as I 
was away that year; but I am certain that they were not in the same 
neighborhood, at any rate, in the seasons of 1896 and 1897.” (Bull. Mich. 
Orn. Club, Vol. VI, Nos. 1 and 2 Mar.-June, 1905). 
The nest of Bewick’s Wren is similar to that of the House Wren, but 
is likely to include more soft material such as bark, strings, feathers, wool, 
paper, etc., and its location is nearly as variable as that of the House Wren 
itself. In Illinois and Indiana it often nearly replaces the House Wren 
and in some cases builds in nesting boxes, holes in trees or cavities about 
buildings, making the nest large or small according to the cavity occupied. 
The eggs are five to seven, sometimes eight or even nine, and are white or 
pinkish-white, finely sprinkled around the larger end with brown and gray. 
They average .67 by .50 inches. 
Ridgway states that its song is ‘‘not a voluble gabble like the House 
Wren’s merry roundelay, but a fine, clear, bold song, uttered as the singer 
sits with head thrown back and long tail pendent—a song which may he 
heard a quarter of a mile or more and in comparison with which the faint 
song of the Song Sparrow sinks into insignificance. The ordinary note 
is a soft low ‘plit,’ uttered as the bird hops about, its long tail carried 
erect or even leaning forward and jerked to one side at short intervals.” 
Its food is similar to that of the House Wren and wherever the bird is 
abundant it is decidedly beneficial to the gardener and fruit grower. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Very similar to the Carolina Wren but decidedly smaller, and colors of back and tail 
quite different. ; 
—~ Adult: Unner_narts deen umber.brown; central tail-feathers barred, others mainly 
