A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
The eggs of this Wren obtained by Dr. Palmer in Arizona have a clear
white ground, sparingly spotted with well-defined, distinct dottings
of brownish-red. These are chiefly distributed around the larger end.
They vary somewhat in size and shape, some being of a more rounded
form, though all have one end more pointed than the other. The length
is pretty uniform, .77 of an inch. The breadth varies from .60 to .66
of an inch. They are larger and more oblong than the eggs of any other
Wren, except perhaps the _mexicanus_, and bear little resemblance to
any other eggs of this family with which I am acquainted, except those
of the Winter Wren, and the egg attributed to _T. americanus_.
The nest is homogeneous in structure, composed entirely of thin strips
of reddish-colored bark and fine roots, interspersed with a few small
bits of wool. It is distorted by packing, so that measurements of it
would be valueless; its dimensions in its pressed condition are:
diameter, 5 inches; depth, 2 inches. The cavity is shallow and
saucer-shaped.
From Mr. Ridgway we learn that from the summit of the Sierra Nevada
eastward, as far as the party explored, he found this Wren universally
distributed. In the middle provinces of the Rocky Mountains it was the
most abundant species of the family, but was not so abundant in the
Wahsatch Mountains. The general resort of this species was among rocky
or stony hill-slopes, though it was not confined to such localities.
At Carson City he found it particularly partial to the rubbish of the
decaying pine-logs. At Virginia City it was the only Wren seen
frequenting the old buildings and abandoned mining-shafts, in its
predilection for such places reminding him very much of the
_Thryothorus ludovicianus_, which in its manners it very strongly
resembles.
Mr. Ridgway noticed a wonderful variety in the notes of this Wren. Its
peculiarly guttural _turee_ was repeatedly heard, and its song in
spring had a slight resemblance in modulation to that of the Carolina
Wren, though altogether lacking the power and richness so
characteristic of the superb song of that bird. Frequently its song
was changed into a prolonged monotonous trill, similar to the
tremulous spring-call of the _Junco hyemalis_.
This species is not so wary as the _Catherpes mexicanus_. Upon
suddenly starting up an individual of this kind, he would fly to the
nearest boulder, turn with his breast towards the party, swing oddly
from side to side, all the while ludicrously bowing and scolding the
intruder with his peculiar sharp expressions of displeasure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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