76 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



(6). The nest, generally a heap of twigs lined with warmer 

 materials, is usually built in a bird-box, or in a hole of a post 

 or tree ; but it is also often built in very extraordinary situa- 

 tions, such as the sleeve of a coat (Wilson), a clay pot, a dis- 

 used spout, or other equalty odd place. The eggs of each set 

 are six to nine ; like those of the Long-billed Marsh Wren (II, 

 B, b), but much lighter and more reddish ; they average about 

 60X'48 of an inch. In Eastern Massachusetts two sets are 

 occasionally laid in the summer, one usually appearing in the 

 first week of June. 



(c). The House Wrens, though rare in the northern part of 

 New England, and so locally distributed in the southern por- 

 tion as never to be seen in certain parts of it, are yet common 

 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, and even 

 very abundant in some parts of these States. They usually 

 reach the neighborhood of Boston in the first week of May, and 

 leave it in September, when the frost has rendered it difficult 

 for them to obtain their ordinary food, which consists entirely 

 of spiders, other insects, and their eggs. The House Wrens 

 frequent exclusively cultivated grounds, and the immediate 

 neighborhood of man, so much so as to be " very numerous in 

 the gardens of Cambridge," and other like cities. They are so 

 fearless as to have built in occupied houses, and so impertinent 

 and quarrelsome as sometimes to seize upon the nests of other 

 birds for their own convenience, regardless of rights of prop- 

 erty or ownership, and they invariably drive away from their 

 own homes other wrens who may have intruded. They are, 

 moreover, so brave as to often attack cats, generally with suc- 

 cess. When not engaged in quarrels or robbery, in building 

 or incubation, they are busy in hunting for insects, particularly 

 spiders, in shrubbery, gardens, and orchards ; and they do not 

 ramble about in the gloomy recesses of wood-piles as the Win- 

 ter Wrens do. But in winter, when far away from their summer 

 homes, and yet enjoying warm weather, their habits are differ- 

 ent from those with which we are here familiar. Mr. Allen, in 

 speaking of their habits in Florida, in winter, says that they 

 keep "so closely concealed that it is difficult to shoot" them 



