428 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
As in Europe, it also approaches the farm-house, examines 
the wood-pile, erecting its tail, and creeping into the 
interstices like a mouse. It frequently mounts on some 
projecting object and sings with great animation. In 
the gardens and out-houses of the city, it appears equally 
familiar as the more common House Wren. 
The nest of the European Wren is often in a bush 
near the ground, stump of a tree, or on the ground itself; 
they also seek the asylum of some corner of the out- 
house near habitations, or some stack of wood, or hole 
in the wall. The form of this fabric is nearly oval, with 
a small entry in the side, and varies externally according 
to contiguous objects ; thus, if near a hay-rick it is com- 
posed sometimes outwardly of hay, if on a tree clothed with 
lichens, these are attached to the outside of the nest ; but 
if in a mossy stump, the exterior has almost exactly the 
aspect of a mere rude and larger mass of the same moss. 
The eggs, proverbially numerous, are said to be from 10 
to 18, nearly white, with a few reddish spots at the larger 
end. 
The Wren has a pleasing warble, and much louder 
than might be expected from the diminutive size of the 
performer. Its song likewise continues more or less 
throughout the year, even during the prevalence of a 
snow storm it has been heard as cheerful as ever ; it like- 
wise continues its note till very late in the evening, 
though not after dark. 
The length of the Winter or Common Wren, is 3J inches, and the 
alar extent 5. Above dark-brown, crossed with transverse dusky 
touches, except the head and neck which are plain ; the black spots 
of the hack terminate in minute points of dull white ; the same col- 
ored points are seen on the first row of wing-coverts ; the primaries 
are crossed with alternate rows of black and cream-color. Throat, 
line over the eye, sides of the neck and breast, dirty white, with mi- 
nute transverse touches of drab. Belly and vent thickly mottled 
