42 THE AUDUBON BODE E iis 
of law, but with little or no knowledge of ornithological literature 
many people feel themselves supreme judges of this Wren; they will 
not take the bird magazines wherein they could find much convincing 
testimony. 
It is a relief to turn from the ignorant and narrow-minded to those 
of more open minds: to those for whom the opinions and testimony 
of eminent scientists may have weight, and to remind them that among 
those who have borne most damaging testimony against the bad charac- 
ter of the House Wren may be found Messrs. Robert Ridgway, Otto 
Widmann, J. A. Munro, P. A. Taverner, Dr. Arthur A. Allen and Major 
Allan Brooks. For the presentation of this case to the open-minded a 
vast amount of data might be quoted: if desirable there can be given the 
names of the observers, together with the date and name of each maga- 
zine, also the page in it upon which the incriminating evidences against 
the House Wren have been published. In collecting these data a careful 
search has been made through five hundred and fifty-two copies of bird 
magazines in which several hundred people have had something to say 
about the House Wren and its subspecies the Western House Wren; 
for convenience at this time the name House Wren will include both the 
species and its subspecies. 
Of all the magazines Bird-Lore has published the largest array ot 
evidence relating to the criminal character of the House Wren. In its 
January-February, 1905, issue, two veteran ornithologists spoke with- 
out shouting, yet most emphatically, regarding the danger from the 
House Wren, which attends the placing of bird houses. Any policeman 
will tell you that in a time of peril a gentle admonition will turn some 
people into a path of safety, but that on others he must use his club. 
It must be confessed that in connection with the danger here discussed, 
there is scarcely one of us who has not deserved the club. It is now a 
full score of years since Mr. Otto Widmann wrote the following gentle 
warning: ‘I would also say to those who put up bird houses of any kind 
to keep a watchful eye on the House Wren. He is as great a nuisance as 
the English Sparrow, He enters homes in the absence of the owners, 
ruins their nests, pierces and throws out eggs and can do enough mis- 
chief in one season to threaten the existence of a whole colony of Martins. 
Nor are his attentions confined to bird houses either; open nests also 
suffer from his sneaking visits, and much of the damage laid at the 
English Sparrow’s door may be traced to the innocent-looking Jennie 
Wren.” 
In the same number of Bird-Lore Mr. Robert Ridgway gave similar 
testimony. In speaking of his bird houses he said: ‘‘These nesting- 
places are occupied solely by House Wrens, for they will not allow 
any other bird to use them. Each spring a pair of Carolina Chickadees 
build their nest in one of them and have begun incubation by the time 
the House Wrens arrive, but that is as far as the poor Chickadees get, 
