WRENS 
323 
715. Rock Wren, le railleur ou troglodyte des rochers. Salpincles obsoleius. 
L, 5-75. A large wren. Above, evenly greyish brown, greyer on head and approaching 
cinnamon on lower back and rump; 
dull whitish below; faintly streaked 
with brownish on breast. 
Distinctions. Easily separated 
from any other wren by its general 
even, pale greyish or dry-earthy 
coloration variegated above by 
barely perceptible black and white 
arrow-head spots and suggestions 
of vermiculation. The tail broadly 
terminated with white or whitish, 
with sharply contrasting subter- 
minal suffusion of brownish black 
(Figure 415) is very characteristic. 
Field Marks. A large, dry- 
earth coloured wren inhabiting the 
most arid canyon faces and bad 
lands. Its song, far carrying and 
clear, quite unlike the bubbling 
confusion of the House or other 
familiar wrens, attracts attention 
immediately. It approaches to, 
and retreats before, the puzzled observer in the most baffling manner. Once a few of the 
infinite variety of their notes are learned, many unfamiliar, clear, or pearly notes will be 
attributed to this species. , 
Nesting. In crannies in rocks and cliffs, nest of sticks, grasses, wool, hair, and other 
soft materials. A peculiarity is that each nest entrance is approached by a little path 
paved with pebbles. 
Distribution. Western North America. In Canada, the bad lands and rocky defiles 
of southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. 
SUBSPECIES. The form accredited to Canada is the "Common” or type race (le 
Railleur ou Troglodyte eoramun des rochers) Salpindcs obsoletus obsoletus. 
The Rock Wren is the very spirit of the mysterious bad lands. Where 
canyon walls or coulee sides are broken, steep, and bare, where the mercury 
stands near the top of the tube, and not a drop of water can be found, the 
Rock Wren is at home. Stealing in and out of crevices, exploring cracks 
in the hot cliffs to their deepest extremity, the busy little midget never 
rests. Its voice can be heard here, there, and everywhere and when we 
attempt to steal closer it is gone to mock us from the next neighbouring 
canyon buttress. 
FAMILY — - MIMIDAE. MOCKERS AND THRASHERS 
The imitative faculty of the Mockingbird that has given the family 
its name is well developed in Canadian representatives. The family is 
peculiarly American and like many of the subdivisions of the order Passeres 
is difficult to diagnose in non-technical language. The birds are rather 
large. The Catbird is of even shades of stone-grey and the Brown Thrasher 
bright rufous brown above with heavily spotted whitish or creamy under- 
parts and an unusually long full tail. They are both good mockers and 
diversify their song with imitations of all the common sounds around them, 
including the songs of other birds, and are capable of effects that are rarely 
equalled by the most famous songsters of either the New or Old World. 
