428 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS, 



As in Europe, it also approaches the farm-house, examines 

 the wood-pile, erecting its tail, and creeping into the 

 interstices like a mouse. It frequently mounts on some 

 projecting object and sings with great animation. In 

 the gardens and out-houses of the city, it appears equally 

 familiar as the more common House Wren. 



The nest of the European Wren is often in a bush 

 near the ground, stump of a tree, or on the ground itself; 

 they also seek the asylum of some corner of the out- 

 house near habitations, or some stack of wood, or hole 

 in the wall. The form of this fabric is nearly oval, with 

 a small entry in the side, and varies externally according 

 to contiguous objects ; thus, if near a hay-rick it is com- 

 posed sometimes outwardly of hay, if on a tree clothed with 

 lichens, these are attached to the outside of the nest; but 

 if in a mossy stump, the exterior has almost exactly the 

 aspect of a mere rude and larger mass of the same moss. 

 The eggs, proverbially numerous, are said to be from 10 

 to 18, nearly white, with a few reddish spots at the larger 

 end. 



The Wren has a pleasing warble, and much louder 

 than might be expected from the diminutive size of the 

 performer. Its song likewise continues more or less 

 throughout the year, even during the prevalence of a 

 snow storm it has been heard as cheerful as ever ; it like- 

 wise continues its note till very late in the evening, 

 though not after dark. 



The length of the "Winter or Common Wren, is 3^ inches, and the 

 alar extent 5. Above dark-brown, crossed with transverse dusky 

 touches, except the head and neck which are plain ; the black spots 

 of the back terminate in minute points of dull white ; the same col- 

 ored points are seen on the first row of wing-coverts ; the primaries 

 are crossed with alternate rows of black and cream-color. Throat, 

 line over the eye, sides of the neck and breast, dirty white, with mi- 

 nute transverse touches of drab. Belly and vent thickly mottled 



