THE WREN 



stems and roots. The external materials usually har- 

 monise very closely with surrounding objects, and thus 

 aid the concealment of the nest. The half-dozen or 

 more eggs are white, spotted with brownish red and 

 greyish brown. The Wren is a close sitter, but will 

 forsake its nest with very little provocation. 



The adult Wren has the upper parts dark rufous brown, 

 darkest on the head, and barred from below the neck 

 with dark brown ; the wings and tail are rufous brown, 

 barred with darker brown, the former spotted with white 

 on the coverts ; the eye-stripe is yellowish white. The 

 under parts are rufous brown, shading into greyish brown 

 on the breast and throat, and more or less barred with 

 dusky brown. Bill dark brown, paler brown below ; 

 tarsi and toes pale brown ; irides dark brown. Length 

 about 4 inches. The nestling closely resembles the 

 parents in general colour, but the under parts are a 

 little more rufous. 



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