78 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 



they enliven b j their cheerful presence, and often fill 

 with a wild, sweet melody. 



The family is very generall}^ distributed throughout 

 the old and new world, and although less numerous 

 here than in many parts of Europe, in America alone 

 there are said to be upwards of one hundred species, 

 most of them, however, found only in Central and South 

 America. In tlie United States we have less than a 

 score of Avell-known species, and onl}^ five or six of these 

 are numerous in the Middle and Eastern States. 



The most abundant of these, and the most useful, is 

 the house wren {Troglodytes cedon). This interesting 

 little character, familiar and domestic in his habits, 

 stands second among the wrens as a vocalist, only the 

 winter wren surpassing it in vivacity and sweetness of 

 song. 



He is too well known to need an extended description 

 of personal a]">pearance, having the typical characteris- 

 tics of the family; a rich plumage of dark ground 

 work marked with waves and crossbars, small slender 

 bill, short rounded wings, and tail jauntily elevated like 

 that of the bantam, gi\ang his whole appearance an air 

 of comical pertness and daring, corresponding well with 

 his saucy, scolding, chattering ways. He often makes 

 his appearance in this latitude early in April, and con- 

 tinues in song till August, singing at intervals from 

 early morning till dusk. His song is noted for its 

 gushing volubility and rapidity of utterance. The song 

 is so joyful and cheerful, poured out with such hearti- 

 ness that one never wearies of the oft-repeated strain 



