BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
307 
T. M. Brewer, writing- of this Thrush, says: “I found a nest contain¬ 
ing three eggs, which I removed, leaving in their place three Robin’s 
eggs, and retired to wait the issue. In a few moments the female ap¬ 
proached, gave the contents of the nest a hasty survey, and immediately 
Hew off. She returned in a short time in company with her mate, and 
both ffew to the nest apparently in the greatest rage, took each an egg 
in their claws, and dashed it against the ground at a distance of more 
than a rod from the nest, the female repeating the same to the other 
egg. This done, they continued for some time to vent them rage on the 
broken eggs, tossing them about, and at the same time manifesting 
their displeasure in every possible way. They afterwards forsook the 
nest.” 
Subfamily TROGLODYTIN^l. Wrens. 
THE WRENS. 
Thirteen species, also “ six geographical forms ” and one “local race ” of this sub¬ 
family are recorded in the fauna of the United States. Of these twenty species and 
varieties, but six species are found in Pennsylvania. The House Wren, Bewick’s 
Wren, also the Marsh Wrens are found here only as summer residents. The Caro¬ 
lina Wren is most abundant in the summer; though commonly during mild win¬ 
ters individuals of this species are seen in the southern parts of the state. The Win¬ 
ter Wren breeds sparingly in the more northern and mountainous portions of this 
commonwealth, and during the winter months is very generally distributed through¬ 
out the lower third of the state. Wrens are plainly attired, different shades of 
brown being the prevailing color. These small, musical, active and quarrelsome 
birds are usually seen with the tail erect. They hide in thickets, weeds and grasses, 
holes in trees or rocks, also in boxes, and manifest “a fondness for prying into holes 
and dark places.” Wrens are notorious for their scolding propensity, and in this 
particular they are not unlike some females of the human race, whose chief object 
in life it would appear is to always annoy those about them. In writing of these 
birds, Dr. Coues says: “ They are sprightly, fearless and impudent little creatures, 
apt to show bad temper when they fancy themselves aggrieved by cats or people, or 
anything else that is big and unpleasant to them.” Marsh Wrens, as the name 
would indicate, inhabit marshes or swampy places along rivers ; they reside also in 
rank vegetation in sloughs and ponds. Long-billed Marsh Wrens often nest 
together in colonies, and construct globular nests, with small openings in the sides. 
These nests, suspended in herbage, are usually about a foot or eighteen inches above 
the water. When erecting these swaying houses, composed of coarse grass blades, 
dead leaves, lined with feathers or soft vegetable materials, the little builders are 
careful to fix them firmly to the strong coarse grasses or stems and leaves of plants 
which grow r high above the water. Their eggs, six and sometimes ten in number, 
are a uniform chocolate-brown color. The Short-billed Marsh Wren is said to build 
a nest similar to that of the Long-billed species, but its eggs differ from those of all 
other of our wrens, in being white and unspotted. The other of our native wrens 
nest in holes of trees, hollow fence rails, or in logs and stumps, in shrubbery, boxes 
and “various odd nooks and corners” about buildings. Their eggs are white, spot¬ 
ted or blotched with different shades of brown. The eggs of the largest species— 
Carolina Wren—measure about .75 of an inch long and about .60 wide ; those of 
other wrens are smaller, being about .68 long by .50 wide. The wrens feed entirely 
on an insect diet. 
