THE WREN. THE COMMON SONG SPARROW. 





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Common Song Sparrov 



Short-billed Marsh Wren. 



The Short-billed Marsh Wren is an amusing and not unmusical bird, found in the northern states, in 

 May and the summer months, and in South Carolina, and Texas, through the winter. It lives in marshy 

 meadows, builds its nest of sedge, on the ground, lays six to eight eggs. It is about four and a half 

 inches long, of a blackish-brown color. 



The Common Song Sparrow is a familiar and almost domestic bird, and is one of the most common and 

 numerous Sparrows in the United States; it is, also, with the Blue Bird, which it seems to accompany, 

 one of the two earliest, sweetest, and most enduring warblers. Though many pass on to the southern 

 states at the commencement of winter, yet a few seem to brave the colds of New England, as long as the 

 snowy waste does not conceal their last resource of nutriment. When the inundating storm at length 

 arrives, they no longer, in the sheltering swamps, and borders of bushy streams, spend their time in gleaning 

 an insufficient subsistence, but in the month of November, begin to retire to the warmer states; and here, 

 on fine days, even in January, whisper forth their usual strains. As early as the 4th of March, the 

 weather being mild, the Song Sparrow and the Blue Bird here jointly arrive, and cheer the yet dreary 

 face of nature with their familiar songs. The latter tlits restlessly through the orchard or neighboring 

 fields ; the Sparrow, more social, frequents the garden, barn-yard, or road-side in quest of support, and 

 from the top of some humble bush, stake, or taller bough, tunes forth his cheering lay, in frequent repeti- 

 tions, for half an hour or more at a time. These notes have some resemblance to parts of the Canary's 



song, and are almost uninterruptedly and daily delivered, 

 from his coming to the commencement of winter. When he, 

 first arrives, while the weather is yet doubtful and unsettled, 

 the strain appears contemplative, and often delivered in a 

 peculiarly low and tender whisper, which, when hearkened to 

 for some time, will be found more than usually melodious, 

 seeming as a sort of reverie, or innate hope of improving sea- 

 sons, which are recalled with a grateful, calm, and tender 

 delight. At the approach of winter, this vocal thrill, sound- 

 ing like an Orphean farewell to the scene and season, is still 

 more exquisite, and softened by the sadness which seems to 

 breathe almost with sentiment, from the decaying and now 

 silent face of nature. It builds usually on the ground, a lit- 

 tle below the level, under a tuft of grass, or in a low bush, 

 and occasionally in an evergreen, as the red cedar, four or 

 five feet from the ground. Its nest is usually formed of fine, 

 dry grass, neatly put together, and mostly lined with horse- 

 hair. The eggs, four or five, are greenish or bluish-white, 

 thickly spotted with one or two shades of brown. 



up.-.s. 



(270) 



