540 
BIRDS OF NEW MEXICO 
1889 (Barrell); Deming, December 3, 1889 (Bailey); Shiprock, February, 1907 
(Gilman) and even as low as 3,700 feet at El Paso, Texas, February 6, 1892 (Mearns). 
[On the Rio Grande Bird Reserve it was noted, November 23-December 9, 1916 
(Willett).] 
In the spring migration, it was noted at Shiprock, March, 1907 (Gilman); Mesilla 
Park, 3,800 feet, March 20, 1903 (Metcalfe); a specimen was taken at Silver City, 
March 15, 1914 (Kellogg); and one taken May 6, 1901, at Albuquerque (Birtwell).— 
W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —In holes in trees, and other places; bulky, made largely of sticks and 
lined with feathers. Eggs: Usually 5 to 7, white or pinkish; finely marked around 
larger end with reddish brown and lilac. 
Food. —The Bewick Wrens of various subspecies eat less than 3 per cent of 
vegetable matter, or more than 97 per cent insects. Bugs make up nearly one-third 
of the total food, including leaf-bugs, stink-bugs, shield-bugs, leaf hoppers, tree 
hoppers, jumping plant lice, a member of the chinch bug family, and olive scale. 
Beetles amount to over 21 per cent, about 3 per cent ladybirds, nearly 10 per cent 
weevils, including the boll weevil. The stomachs of two contained 80 and 85 per 
cent of engraver beetles, which live under the bark of trees and do great damage to 
timber. Leaf beetles amount to about 8 per cent. Ants and wasps amount to 
about 17 per cent, caterpillars and a few moths and cocoons, about 12 per cent, 
grasshoppers, 4 per cent, spiders, 5 per cent. 
General Habits. —The Baird Bewick Wren, known by the strong 
white line over the eye and the white border of its long tail is common 
in some parts of the juniper belt. Two broods of young were seen out 
of the nest June 15, 1903, near Montoya, and the males were singing 
a bright vivacious song. On the San Francisco River at about 5,000 
feet several were heard about the first of November, singing gaily in 
spite of the calendar. The vocal performances cover a singular mix¬ 
ture—a sweet melodious song very similar to that of the Song Sparrow, 
and a variety of harsh, loud, nasal, strident call notes given as it goes 
bobbing, with long jerking tail, through the low trees and bushes. 
The Wren was common in thickets along the Gila River in October, 
Major Goldman found, and he says that about sunset one evening a 
dead one was discovered in the mouth of a rattlesnake that had iust 
killed it. 
Bewick Wrens of the various subspecies, when coming about houses 
and buildings, are ready to accept whatever hospitality is offered them 
in the way of building sites, from tin cans to horses’ nose bags; and 
their return for small kindnesses is many fold. 
Additional Literature.—Finley, W. L., American Birds, 91-101, 1907._ 
Merriam, F. A., A-Birding on a Bronco, 171-174, 1896.— Trafton, G. H., Methods 
of Attracting Birds, 47-48, 1910. 
CACTUS WREN: Heleodytes brunneicapfllus couesi (Sharpe) 
Plate 57 
Description. Length: Adult male (skin) 7-8 inches, wing 3.3-3.6, tail 3-3.4, 
bill .8-1; tarsus 1-1.2. Female smaller. Tail rounded. Adults: Upperparts wood- 
