THE MARSH WREN. 



with tail lip, and head up, 



The Wren begins to sing ; 



He fills the air with melody, 



And makes the alders ring ; 



We listen to his cadences, 



We watch his frisky motions, 



We think — his mate attending him — 



He's got some nesting notions. — C. C. M. 



Qj 



HESE Wrens inhabit marshy 

 and weedy bottom lands along 

 river courses, and have all 

 ■ the brisk manners and habits 

 of the family. This species, however, 

 has a peculiar habit of building 

 several nests every season, and it is 

 suggested that these are built to pro- 

 cure protection for the female, in order 

 that when search is made for the nest 

 where she is sitting, the male may 

 lure the hunter to an empty nest. 



Its song is not unlike that of the 

 House Wren, though less agreeable. 

 It is a summer resident, arriving in 

 May and departin^^ in September. Its 

 nest, which is found along borders of 

 rivers, is made of sedge and grasses 

 suspended near tall reeds. It has been 

 found hanging over a small stream, 

 suspended from the drooping bough 

 of an alder tree, swayed to and fro by 

 every breath of air. A careful observer 

 states that a Wren will forsake her 

 nest when building it, sooner than any 

 other bird known to him. Disturb her 

 repeatedly when building and she 

 leaves it apparently without cause ; 

 insert your fingers in her tenement 

 and she will leave it forever. But 

 when the eggs are laid, the Wren will 

 seldom abandon her treasure, and 

 when her tender brood are depending 

 on her for food, she will never forsake 

 them, even though the young be 

 handled, or the female bird be caught 

 on the nest while feeding them. The 

 food of the Wren is insects, their larvae 

 and eggs, and fruit in season. 



This Wren has justly been called a 

 perennial songster. " In Spring the 



love-song of the Wren sounds through 

 the forest glades and hedges, as the 

 buds are expanding into foliage and 

 his mate is seeking a site for a cave- 

 like home. And what a series of 

 jerks it is composed of, and how 

 abruptly he finishes his song, as if 

 suddenly alarmed ; but this is his 

 peculiar habit and common to him 

 alone. In summer we hear his song 

 morning, noon, and night, go forth for 

 very joyfulness, as he wanders hither 

 and thither in his leafy bower." It is 

 only in the moulting season that he 

 does not sing. 



A lady who used to attract a great 

 number of birds to her garden with 

 crumbs, seeds, and other dainties, said 

 that when the weather became cold 

 the Wrens used to gather upon a large 

 branch of a tree, about four inches 

 beneath another branch. They 

 assembled there in the evening and 

 packed themselves very comfortably 

 for the night, three or four deep, 

 apparently for the sake of warmth, the 

 topmost Wren always having his back 

 pres>^ed against the outer branch as if 

 to keep all .steady. Pitying their 

 forlorn condition, she provided a bed- 

 room for them — a square box lined 

 with flannel, and with a very small 

 round hole for a door. This was 

 fastened to the branch, and the birds 

 promptly took possession of it, their 

 numbers increasing nightly, until at 

 least forty Wrens crowded into the 

 box which did not seem to afford room 

 for half the number. When thus 

 assembled they became so drowsy as to 

 permit themselves to be gently handled. 



142 



