--Noting Mrs. Bailey's most interesting article on the rock wreu (.glpitt1t's obsoh'ltts) perulit me herewith to quote a few lines on this interesting wren from my note book. During the years of 898 and I899, while sojourntug in San Antouio, Texas, it was my good fortune to run across a colony of eight or ten pairs of rock wrens. Near the head of the San Antonio River in the northern suburbs 'of the city where the land is brokeu, of a limestone for- mutton with almost no surface .soil and covered with prickly pear and laurel, is quite an extensive lime-stone quarry. This, x-ith its immediate environs, is the home of the colony of rock wrens, and was where I located and examined thirteen nests as follows: .?s! , April , 898; building in crevice in wall of quarry 2o feet up, the male assisting in its construction. This liest now be- fore me, and which is typical of this colony, is composed outwardly of weed stalks and dead grasses with aheavy layer of fine rootlets, the inner liest being fairly well cupped and heavily lined with grayish goat hair. Inside diameter of this nest is .34 inclies with a depth of  s inches, the whole being placed in and upon a cup-shaped formdutton or rim composed of numerous and various sized flat stones deposited by the birds, the interstices and uneven places on bottom of crevice being filled with these stones, forming a walk to the nest which was placed 8 inclies in froin face of wall. There must hive been at leaat a half pint of these lime-stone chips, and it seems incredible how so small a hird with so slender a bill can carry stones of such a size aud weight to such a height. Measurements of three of the larger stones herore me are as follows: 27s by 4hy ..; x t) 3, r bv 3/8; x34 by 34 hy 3-x6. lu weight they each run something over one- fourth of an ounce. Ou April Isth this nest contained 6 eggs. Aesl 2, April 2, tmildiug. This liest x-as placed in a small cavity in a lille of loose refuse rock and debris 3 feet up, the umterial being practically identical with that of No. x. This nest rested in a cup-shaped foundation of flat stoues. No signs of a walk existed, possibly owing to lack of space. On April 26th nest contained 6 uewly hatched young. During incubation the male was quite wary but very attentive to his mate, taking her all the most choice morsels in the way of small beetles. On April 7th I was rewarded by locating three nests. .\'st 3 con- tained 5 young about 5 days old, material. and location practically the same as No. I; nest foundation of stones and walk of stones extending about IO inches. 2Vest 4 contained 5 young io or i2 days old; nest placed in small cavity formed by root of tree IO feet up in wall of quarry. Nest was typical, placed in shallow cup-shaped foundation of stones; no room in cavity for walk. Nest 5 contained 6 young IO or I2 days old. Nest was placed in cavity under boulders on bottom of quarry and had the usual stone foundation; two matches, a few splinters of wood, lining of black goat hair and considerable wool, especially round the rim; no sign of a walk. .3/4est 6 contained 3 eggs; typical; location practically same as No. 5; cup-shaped foundation of rocks; no sign of a walk. Hesl 7, April 8, I899, containing 6 young, one week old; nest situated in crevice in wall of quarry; typical stone foundation and 9 inches of walk. ,3/4esl $, April II, containing 5 young a few days old. Nest typical, placed in cavity in wall of stone powder magazine; usual stone foundation; slight walk of stones. Hesl 9, April I5, containing 5 fresh eggs; nest typical; location, foundation and walk same as No. . Hesl o, April 29; in a cavity formed by large rocks on bottom of quarry; nest typical, usual cup-shaped stone foundation, no sign of walk; 6 eggs. :Vest , May I8, containing 7 eggs; nest, location and foundation same as No. Io; no sign of stone walk. Nesl 2, June 3, containing 7 eggs; nest typical, placed in crevice in wall of quarry IO feet up; usual foundation of stones, also 7 inch walk; evidently second nest of pair of birds, whose nest was located on April 8th. sl 3, June 3, containing 7 eggs. This nest was typical, but the location was quite unusual, the structure being placed in a small waste or outlet pipe in an old open cistern. This pipe was 4 inches in diameter and about 3 feet from top of cistern. This nest had quite an extensive walk and stone foundation consisting of at least a pint of stones. Summing up the above it will be seen that where the nests were located at the bottom of the quarry there was no attempt at building a walk, but when the nest was situated in a crevice the walk was invariably there provided. Of course there was room for it. In every case, however, the cup or saucer-shaped foundation was there. Query: could not this walk have been built to keep the young birds from falling into the crevices or getting their feet caught in same ? I find that as a rule two broods are raised in a season and that their food consists to a large extent of a species of beetle which they find in the crevices of the rocks. One interesting trait and one which I should judge to be purely local is their habit of dodging under a boulder or overhanging rock upon the loud report of a blast, and remaining there until the shower of falling rock is over. They are then among the first upon the ground, searching fear- lessly among the Mexican quarrymen for such beetles as may have become exposed by the blast. They seem perfectly fearless of the quarrymen and the heavy cannonading, but on the appear- ance of a stranger they become quite perturbed and suspicious and very cautious in going to their nests. It was some days or even weeks before they permitted any familiarity whatever on my part. How they stand the terrific heat and glare in that quarry during July and August is a mystery to me.--PHILO W. SMITH, JR., Sl. Louis, AIo.