AVES-WREN. 519 



traces the outline on the bark, and closes the sides and top in succession. 

 When it builds against a hayrick, the exterior of the nest is of that material ; 

 when it is on the side of a tree covered with white lichen, or green moss, 

 the fabric is of one or other of those substances ; but the interior is uniform- 

 ly lined with feathers. 



THE AMERICAN HOUSE WREN. 1 



The house wren is a well known and familiar bird, who builds his nest, 

 sometimes under the eaves, or in a hollow cherry tree ; but most commonly 

 in small boxes fixed on a pole, for its accommodation. He will even put up 

 with an old hat, and if even this is denied him, he will find some hole or 

 crevice, about the house or barn, rather than abandon the dwellings of man. 

 A mower once hung up his coat, under a shed near a barn ; two or three 

 days elapsed before he had occasion to put it on ; thrusting his arm up the 

 sleeve he found it completely filled with some rubbish as he expressed it, 

 and on extracting the whole mass, found it to be the nest of a wren, com- 

 pletely finished and lined with a large quantity of feathers. In his retreat 

 he was followed by the forlorn little proprietors, who scolded him with 

 great vehemence, for thus ruining the whole economy of their domestic 

 affairs. 



The immense number of insects which this sociable little bird removes 

 from the garden and fruit trees ought to endear him to every cultivator ; 

 and his notes, loud, sprightly, and tremulous, are extremely agreeable. Its 

 food is insects and caterpillars, and while supplying the wants of its young, 

 it destroys, on an average, many hundreds a day. It is a bold and insolent 

 bird against those that venture to build within its jurisdiction; attacking 

 them without hesitation, though twice its size, and compelling them to 

 decamp. I have known him to drive a pair of swallows from their newly 

 formed nest, and take immediate possession of the premises. Even the 

 blue-bird, when attacked by this little impertinent, soon relinquishes the 

 contest ; with those of his own species, also, he has frequent squabbles. 



The nouse wren inhabits the whole of the United States. It is four 

 inches and a half long ; the whole upper parts are a deep brown ; the 

 throat, breast, and cheeks, clay color; the under parts mottled. 



1 Troglodytes fulrus, Bonap. 



