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198 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Bill very straight, slender, and conical; shorter than the head; tail considerably 
shorter than the wings, which reach to its middle; upper parts reddish-brown, 
becoming brighter to the rump and tail; everywhere, except on the head and upper 
part of the back, with transverse bars of dusky and of lighter; scapulars and wing 
coverts with spots of white; beneath pale reddish-brown, barred on the posterior 
half of the body with dusky and whitish, and spotted with white more anteriorly; 
outer web of primaries similarly spotted with pale brownish-white; an indistinct 
pale line over the eye. 
Length, about four inches; wing, one and sixty-six one-hundredths inch; tail, 
one and twenty-six one-hundredths inch. 
Hab, — North America generally. 
This bird is quite abundant in the three northern New- 
England States, and, as a winter visitor, is not uncommon 
in the others. Wilson gives the following account of its 
habits : — 
“This little stranger, visits us from the north in the month of 
October, sometimes remaining with us all the winter, and is always 
observed, early in spring, on his route back to his breeding-place. 
In size, color, song, and manners, he approaches nearer to the 
European Wren (JV. troglodytes) than any other species we have. 
During his residence here, he frequents the projecting banks of 
creeks, old roots, decayed logs, small bushes, and rushes, near 
watery places: he even approaches the farm-house, rambles about 
the wood-pile, creeping among the interstices like a mouse. With 
tail erect, which is his constant habit, mounted on some projecting 
point or pinnacle, he sings with great animation. Even in the 
yards, gardens, and outhouses of the city, he appears familiar, and 
quite at home. In short, he possesses almost all the habits of the 
European species. He is, however, migratory, which may be 
owing to the superior coldness of our continent. Never having 
met with the nest and eggs, I am unable to say how nearly they 
approximate to those of the former.” 
I know nothing of the breeding habits, nest, or eggs of 
this species. It has, while in its summer home, one of the 
most beautiful warbling songs that I ever heard. 
