60 Land Birds of New England 



and wooded roads, busying himself in the search for 

 food about logs and brush-heaps. He is not very 

 common ; and his small size, inconspicuous coloring, 

 and retiring habits make him seem rarer than he 

 is. He is best studied farther north, both because 

 he is less shy on his breeding-grounds than during 

 his migration, and because his song there calls 

 attention to his presence. 



The nest is placed at the foot of a moss-covered 

 stump, under a tree, or in a pile of brush. He 

 breeds in the White Mountains and farther north. 



The song is both exquisite and brilliant, - - wild, 

 impassioned, and joyous, - - one of the rarest of 

 our sylvan melodies. The first song-period closes 

 about the end of August ; a second one begins 

 about a month later, and continues until his depart- 

 ure for the South. 



16. HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon.*) 



Upper parts brown, mottled with darker; under parts brownish or 

 grayish, mottled with darker; breast usually darker than either 

 throat or belly. Beak slender, pale; feet pale; tail about as 

 long as the outstretched legs. Bird less than two-thirds the 

 length of a sparrow. Sexes similar. 



THE house wren is a common summer resident of 

 Massachusetts, but is rarely seen north of this State. 

 Even in southern New England, though common, 



