270 SINGING BIRDS. 



country, but may often be heard on the tops of houses even in 

 the midst of the city, warbhng with his usual energy. 



The House Wren is a common summer resident of Massachu- 

 setts, but is rarely seen north of this State. 



The only instance of its occurrence in New Brunswick is that of 

 a pair seen at Grand Falls by Mr. C. F. Batchelder. It is fairly 

 common near Montreal and through southern Ontario, and is 

 abundant in Manitoba. It winters in the Middle States and 

 southward. 



Note. — A Western form — distinguished from true a'edon by the 

 prevalence of gray on its upper parts and its more distinct bars on 

 the back — occurs from Illinois and Manitoba westward. This is 

 Western House Wren (7". a. aztecus). 



The Wood W^ren (7". americatms), mentioned by Nuttall on the 

 authority of Audubon, should have been referred to T. aedon. 



WINTER WREN. 



Troglodytes hiemalis. 



Char. Above, reddish brown, brightest on the rump, marked with 

 dark waved lines ; wings and tail with dark bars ; under parts paler 

 brown, belly and under tail-coverts with numerous dark bars. Length 

 about 4 inches. 



Nest. At the foot of a moss-covered stump, or under a fallen tree, or 

 amid a pile of brush; composed of twigs and moss, lined with feathers. 



Eggs. 4-6 ; white, spotted, chiefly near the larger end, with reddish 

 brown and purple ; 0.70 X 0.50. 



This little winter visitor, which approaches the Middle States 

 in the month of October, seems scarcely in any way distin- 

 guishable from the Common Wren of Europe. It sometimes 

 passes the winter in Pennsylvania, and according to Audubon 

 even breeds in the Great Pine Swamp in that State, as well as 

 in New York. Early in the spring it is seen on its returning 

 route to the Northwest. Mr. Say observed it in summer near 

 the base of the Rocky Mountains ; it was also seen, at the 

 same season, on the White Mountains of New Hampshire by 

 the scientific exploring party of Dr. Bigelow, Messrs. Boott 



