Range.—Pacific coast, from British Columbia southward to Lower California. These happy little songsters are to be met with more about civilization, and seem to prefer the cultivated lands to the wild. They build in bird houses or holes of trees, and no matter how large the tenement may be they will keep busy until it is filled, leaving only space enough for their nest. They lay from five to seven eggs of a pinkish color, with a wreath of brown dots about the larger end (.65 × .52).
WESTERN WINTER WREN.
722a. Nannus hiemalis pacificus. 4 inches.
Range.—From Alaska to New Mexico, through North America. This is the smallest of the family, and is also one of the most quiet in song. They are active little fellows, just a bunch of feathers, with a short stub of a tail up over their backs when observed, and getting about the brush heaps and stone walls like little mice. They nest in walls or crevices of rocks, and stumps, building of twigs, leaves, grass and feathers, in which usually six or seven eggs, creamy white, finely specked with brown, are laid (.60 × .48).
ALASKA WREN.
723. Nannus alascensis. 4½ inches.
Range.—Aleutian Islands and Alaska. This is a somewhat larger variety of the preceding, and is found only in the far north. Its breeding habits are the same, as are also the eggs, which average a little larger (.65 × .51).
ALEUTIAN WREN.
723.1. Nannus meliger. 4½ inches.