352 'I‘llltASllERS, WRENS, l‘l'l‘t‘.

It has been claimed that the name House Wren is a misnomer, be- cause in the south during the winter these birds are found in the for- ests miles from the nearest habitation. This, however, is owing to Circumstances over which the llouse Wren has no control. He is just as much of a House \Vren in the south as he is in the north: you will find a pair in possession of every suitable dwelling. The (liiliculty is that in the winter there are more llouse Wrens than there are houses, and, being of a somewhat irritable disposition, the House Wren will not share his quarters with others of his kind. Late comers, there- fore, who on not get a snug nook about a house or outbuilding, are forced to resort to the woods.

In the summer, when the; are spread over a much greater area, llouse Wrens are very particular in their choice of haunts, and for this reason are locally distril'ntted. Having selected a nesting site, they become much attached to it, and return to the same place year after year. It may he a bird—box, a crevice in a building, a hollow in an apple tree. or hole in a fence rail; wherever it is, it is theirs, and they will fight for it against all comers.

The song of the House \Vren is delivered with characteristic en- ergy—a sudden outpmiring.r of music which completely dominates the singer, who with raised h ‘ad and drooped tail trembles with the vio- lence of his effort.

72]!)- T. a. aztecus (Ba/rd). \szrrtnx llorsr, Wmax.—Similar to the preceding. but upper parts lighter and less rut'ous, the hack and rump generally distinctly barred with blackish.

If!!ng70.——Interior ot'North Ameri'a, east to the Mississippi Valley; Min— nesota, Illinois.

722. Troglodytes hiemaJis [3717]. erin: WREX. Atl.—Upper parts dark einnamonrln'owii1 feathers of the rump “'ith eonc‘aled, dour/2y white spots; wings and tail barred : under parts washed with pale cinnamon- brozmt, the lower breast, sides, and belly more or less heavily harred with black. L., 4'06: \V.. I'Ntt: T..1‘24: H.123.

[idly/ailizistern North .-\n'1eriea; ln'eeds from the Northern States north— ward. and southward along the Alleghanies to North ('arolina; winters from Massaehusetts and lllinois to Florida.

Washington, rather common W. V., Sept. ‘25 to May 1. Sing Sing, tolera— lily common W. V.. Sept. 18 to Apl. 27. t‘amhridge. '1‘, \'.. rather common, Sept. ‘24) to Nov. ‘25: rare. Apl. 10 to May 1 : a very few winter.

Aim-t, of small twigs and moss. lined with feathers. in the roots of a tree, hrushiheap. or similar place. “ Iii/ya. tive to seven, white or creamy white, finely hut ‘atlier sparingly speckled with reddish brown, sometimes nearly innnaeulute, '61) x '50” tltidgw.).

When looking fo' a Winter Wren during the fall migration I go to an old raspberry patch, and in the'woods watch the stumps and