148 CITIZEN BIRD 



keeps her house nice and clean, and is very industrious 

 too, making a fresh nest for every new brood, Avhich 

 means a great deal of work, for Wrens often raise three 

 families a season." . 



''But Johnny Wren w^orks too, doesn't he?" asked 

 Nat ; " he is always taking home bugs and things, and 

 he sings as if he would split." 



" Wrens live in woodpiles in winter," said Rap. 



The Doctor laughed heartily at the hurry with which 

 the children told their knowledge. 



" Everybody has a bowing acquaintance with the 

 House Wren," he said, " for they are seen everywhere 

 through the United States, those that are citizens of 

 the West being a trifle paler in color and more sharply 

 barred than their easterly brotliers, but all having the 

 same habits ; even the Rock Wren is as jolly and 

 sociable as his house-loving cousins. 



" But the Wren that Rap says lives in the woodpile 

 in the winter is not our House Wren, but another mem- 

 ber of the same family — the smallest of all, called the 

 Winter Wren. 



" He is a citizen of the far North, whence he follows 

 the mountains down to Carolina, and he is chiefly seen 

 when he visits the Eastern States in the winter — hence 

 his name. But few who see him then have heard his 

 ripple-song — one of the sweetest bits of our bird 

 music." 



" Hear Jolnmy Wren singing on the trellis, and his 

 wife scolding at him all the time, too. I wonder why 

 she does it ? " said Nat. 



" She is only making believe scold," said the Doctor, 

 " because she has a quick temper and wants to say 



