CLASS II. AVES: 
ORDER 2. PASSERES. 
Ill 
THE GEEAT CAROLINA "WREN. THE COMMON EUROPEAN WEEN. 
THE TROGLODYTINiE OR WRENS. 
This family includes a number of small, lively, familiar birds, some of them living around the 
habitations of man, and feeding upon insects and seeds. 
Genus TROGLODYTES : Troglodytes. — This includes several species: the Common Wren of 
Europe — Roytelet of the French ; Morracino of the Italians ; Cutty, Katy, or Kitty- Wren of the 
English — T. Europmus, is an active, lively little bird, and appears, in Europe, to share with the robin 
in the affections of the country people. It frequents hedges, gardens, and bushy places, flitting 
from bush to bush with a direct flight, and feeding principally upon insects of various kinds, and 
also occasionally upon seeds and fruits. In spring and summer the male has a very sweet song, 
which is exceedingly loud and rich, especially when we consider the smallness of the pipe pro- 
ducing it. These birds are very familiar, and seek to be near the habitations of man, although 
they do not exhibit the same degree of confidence as the robin, but generally conceal themselves 
very quickly when approached too closely. Nevertheless, in the winter, when cold weather ren- 
ders it somewhat difficult to keep up the vital heat in such a diminutive body, these birds often 
roost in cow-houses, for the sake of the warmth generated by the cattle. Most of them, however, 
shelter themselves in holes at this season, roosting in considerable numbers together, so as to keep 
up the heat by close packing. For the same purpose they often frequent their nests of the pre- 
ceding summer ; and it has even been said by some authors that the male occupies himself while 
the female is sitting, with preparing several nests, to afford shelter to the brood in the coming 
winter. 
The wrens pair about the middle of the spring, and early in April commence the construction 
of their nests. These are placed in very various situations, but principally in holes and crevices 
in walls, banks and trees, and also in thatched roofs, amongst climbing plants, or even on the 
branch of a tree. They are made of various materials and lined with feathers : the number of 
eggs is seven to twelve. It is calculated that these birds bring food to their young ones two hun- 
dred and seventy-eight times in a day, with an insect each time. They produce two broods 
in a season. This species is common throughout Europe, and permanent in France and England 
and the contiguous countries. 
The American House-Wren, T. cedon, or T. fulvus, is migratory in the United States, 
arriving from the South early in May. It is brown, banded with dusky ; its length is about 
four inches ; it builds its nest sometimes in the wooden cornice under the eaves, or in a hollow 
