38 
Deane on the Winter Wren. 
About the middle of June, 1878, while collecting at Houlton, Me.,. 
Mr. James Bradbury, a resident of the town, showed me a nest of 
this species partly finished in a little clearing of thick woods on the 
banks of the Meduxnekeag River. He had previously noticed the 
bird in the same locality with small twigs in its bill, and after 
secreting himself at a short distance saw the Wren disappear under 
the roots of a fallen tree, where it remained for a time, and upon, 
investigation he found the entrance of the nest. It was imbedded 
in the earth which remained attached to the roots, and it could only 
be detected by crawling under the thick brush which surrounded 
the tree ; and on looking up, all that could be seen was a small aper- 
ture just large enough to admit the tiny birds. The nest was un- 
fortunately deserted, for on the 2 2d of June we again visited it and 
it showed no further signs of completion. It was apparently almost 
finished, but lacked the fine lining of moss and feathers. The ex- 
ternal breadth and depth of the nest was 4.50 inches, the internal 
depth 2.50 inches. It was composed of hemlock twigs, moss, and a 
few bits of lichens compactly woven together. 
Early in June Mr. Bradbury found a nest containing six young a 
few days old. This nest was sunk into the thick moss which envel- 
oped the trunk of a fallen tree. A bunch of ferns grew out of the 
moss near the entrance of the nest, and one of the parent birds sud- 
denly flying from the ferns enabled him to discover its little home. 
On the 8th of August, 1878, Mr. Bradbury took a third nest of 
the Winter Wren, which contained four eggs ; and I am indebted to 
my friend, Mr. R. R. McLeod, who visited the locality before it was 
removed, for the following description : “ The nest was in a place 
which does justice to the name Troglodytes , for it was away under 
an upturned cedar-root in the dark. The tree had blown over 
somewhat, and in the roof made by the earth and roots she had ex- 
cavated a hole and made her nest, where but the least glimpse of 
light could have reached it. A little spring flowed over the rocks 
beneath, on which the tree stood, and oply by watching the bird 
with a feather in her mouth was the nest discovered. Mr. Brad- 
bury put his head and shoulders under the roots and the Wren 
fluttered past his face, and diligent search revealed the treasure.” 
The nest, which is in the possession of Mr. H. A. Purdie, is now be- 
fore me, and presents a beautiful bit of bird architecture. It differs 
from the one already described by having the top open, similar 
to that of Sayornis fuscus , though possibly the bird had some natu- 
