The Birds’ Calendar 
of the wood thrush as well), although coarsely 
made and inelegant, is unusual in consisting of 
three distinct layers, the outermost of various 
coarse substances like weeds, roots, straw, etc., 
woven together, the next layer of somewhat 
finer material plastered together with mud, and, 
lastly, the innermost lining of soft grass and 
moss, the whole constituting a structure clum- 
sy in appearance, but durable. The golden- 
crowned warbler gets its name of oven-bird from 
its peculiar nest, which is built over at the top, 
with the entrance on one side, and looking 
much like an old-fashioned oven. It is placed 
on the ground, made of dry leaves and grasses, 
and lined with soft material. 
The nest of the marsh wren is still more com- 
plex and unique. By the way, the wren family 
is quite a gifted one ; physically diminutive, but 
brainy. Their proclivities take different di- 
rections, and while the winter and the house 
wrens adopted a musical career, the marsh wren 
became famous as an architect ; whichis quite a 
harmonious contrast, if architecture be, as some- 
one has called it, frozen music. I quote from 
Wilson the following description of its seaside 
mansion: ‘* This is formed outwardly of wet 
rushes mixed with mud, well intertwined and 
316 
=~ = 
SEE 
—— sl ll eee ee. 
Ur ee —— a 
