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.
Range.—Western Aleutian Islands to Alaska. Very similar to the above, both in song and general habits. They nest in the crevices of rocks or between boulders, making their nests of rootlets and grass, lining it with hair and feathers. Usually six eggs are laid, white with a few specks of brown (.58 × .46).
TULE WREN. 725a. Telmatodytes p. paludicola. 5½ inches.
Range.—Pacific coast, from British Columbia to southern California. This is a western form of the Long-billed Marsh Wren, found more east of the Rockies. They build a globular-shaped nest of grass and rushes, attached to upright rushes just above the water. Five eggs are laid, of a pale chestnut color, with darker markings (.64 × .45).
ROCKY MOUNTAIN CREEPER. 726b. Certhia familiaris montana. 5½ inches.
Range.—From Alaska, in the Rocky Mountains, to southern California and Mexico, breeding throughout its range. A quiet, small, brown colored bird of the deep woods, where its lisping note may be heard, if the air is very quiet, and one is looking for bird life. When found, it will generally be climbing up the trunk of some tall tree, searching the crevices of the bark for the small insect life on which it feeds; when near the top, a downward flight to the base of another tree. Always flying down, and climbing up. Their nest is placed in the loose bark, and is made of fiber, moss and grass. They lay from four to seven white eggs, spotted with chestnut (.58 × .48).