n； just returned from a long visit south。 Like some little mountain spring that； having been imprisoned by winter ice； now bubbles up in the spring sunshine； and goes rippling along over the pebbles； tumbling over itself in merry cascades； so this little wren's song bubbles； ripples； cascades in a miniature torrent of ecstasy。
Year after year these birds return to the same nesting places： a box set up against the house； a crevice in the barn； a niche under the eaves； but once home； always home to them。 The nest is kept scrupulously clean； the house…cleaning； like the house…building and renovating； being accompanied by the cheeriest of songs； that makes the bird fairly tremble by its intensity。 But however angelic the voice of the house wren； its temper can put to flight even the English sparrow。 Need description go further。
Six to eight minutely speckled； flesh…colored eggs suffice to keep the nervous； irritable parents in a state bordering on frenzy whenever another bird comes near their habitation。 With tail erect and head alert； the father mounts on guard； singing a perfect ecstasy of love to his silent little mate； that sits upon the nest if no danger threatens； but both rush with passionate malice upon the first intruder； for it must be admitted that Jenny wren is a sad shrew。
While the little family is being reared； or； indeed； at any time； no one is wise enough to estimate the millions of tiny insects from the garden that find their way into the tireless bills of these wrens。
It is often said that the house wren remains at the north all the year； which； though not a fact； is easily accounted for by the coming of the winter wrens just as the others migrate in the autumn； and by their return to Canada when Jenny wren makes up her feather…bed under the eaves in the spring。
CAROLINA WREN （Thryothorus ludovicianus） Wren family
Called also： MOCKING WREN
Length 6 inches。 Just a trifle smaller than the English sparrow Male and Female Chestnut…brown above。 A whitish streak； beginning at base of bill； passes through the eye to the nape of the neck。 Throat whitish。 Under parts light buff…brown Wings and tail finely barred with dark。 Range United States； from Gulf to northern Illinois and Southern New England。 Migrations A common resident except at northern boundary of range； where it is a summer visitor。
This largest of the wrens appears to be the embodiment of the entire family characteristics： it is exceedingly active； nervous； and easily excited； quick…tempered； full of curiosity； peeping into every hole and corner it passes； short of flight as it is of wing； inseparable from its mate till parted by death； and a gushing lyrical songster that only death itself can silence。 It also has the wren…like preference for a nest that is roofed over； but not too near the homes of men。
Undergrowths near water； brush heaps； rocky bits of woodland； are favorite resorts。 The Carolina wren decidedly objects to being stared at； and likes to dart out of sight in the midst of the underbrush in a twinkling while the opera…glasses are being focussed。 To let off some of his superfluous vivacity； Nature has provided him with two safety…valves： one is his voice； another is his tail。 With the latter he gesticulates in a manner so expressive that it seems to be a certain index to what is passing in his busy little brain drooping it； after the habit of the catbird； when he becomes limp with the emotion of his love…song； or holding it erect as； alert and inquisitive； he peers at the impudent intruder in the thicket below his perch。
But it is his joyous； melodious； bubbling song that is his chief fascination。 He has so great a variety of strains that many people have thought that he learned them from other birds； and so have called him what many ornithologists declare that he is not a mocking wren。 And he is one of the few birds that sing at night not in his sleep or only by moonlight； but even in the total darkness； just before dawn； he gives us the same wide…awake song that entrances us by day。
WINTER WREN （Troglodytes biemalis） Wren family
Length 4 to 4。5 inches。 About one…third smaller than the English sparrow。 Apparently only half the size。 Male and Female Cinnamon…brown above； with numerous short； dusky bars。 Head and neck without markings。 Underneath rusty； dimly and finely barred with dark brown。 Tail short。 Range United States； east and west； and from North Carolina to the Fur Countries Migrations October； April。 Summer resident。 Commonly a winter resident in the South and Middle States only。
It all too rarely happens that we see this tiny mouse…like wren in summer； unless we come upon him suddenly and overtake him unawares as he creeps shyly over the mossy logs or runs literally 〃like a flash〃 under the fern and through the tangled underbrush of the deep； cool woods。 His presence there is far more likely to be detected by the ear than the eye。
Throughout the nesting season music fairly pours from his tiny throat； it bubbles up like champagne； it gushes forth in a lyrical torrent and overflows into every nook of the forest； that seems entirely pervaded by his song。 While music is everywhere； it apparently comes from no particular point； and； search as you may； the tiny singer still eludes； exasperates； and yet entrances。
If by accident you discover him balancing on a swaying twig； never far from the ground； with his comical little tail erect； or more likely pointing towards his head； what a pert； saucy minstrel he is！ You are lost in amazement that so much music could come from a throat so tiny。
Comparatively few of his admirers； however； hear the exquisite notes of this little brown wood…sprite； for after the nesting season is over he finds little to call them forth during the bleak； snowy winter months； when in the Middle and Southern States he may properly be called a neighbor。 Sharp hunger； rather than natural boldness； drives him near the homes of men； where he appears just as the house wren departs for the South。 With a forced confidence in man that is almost pathetic in a bird that loves the forest as he does； he picks up whatever lies about the house or barn in the shape of food…crumbs from the kitchen door； a morsel from the dog's plate； a little seed in the barn…yard； happily rewarded if he can find a spider lurking in some sheltered place to give a flavor to the unrelished grain。 Now he becomes almost tame； but we feel it is only because he must be。
The spot that decided preference leads him to； either winter or summer； is beside a bubbling spring。 In the moss that grows near it the nest is placed in early summer； nearly always roofed over and entered from the side； in true wren…fashion； and as the young fledglings emerge from the creamy…white eggs； almost the first lesson they receive from their devoted little parents is in the fine art of bathing。 Even in winter weather； when the wren has to stand on a rim of ice； he will duck and splash his diminutive body。 It is recorded of a certain little individual that he was wont to dive through the icy water on a December day。 Evidently the wrens； as a family； are not far removed in the evolutionary scale from true water…birds。
LONG…BILLED MARSH WREN （Cistothorus palustris） Wren family
＇Called also： MARSH WREN； AOU 1998＇
Length 4。5 to 5。2 inches。 Actually a little smaller than the English sparrow。 Apparently half the size。 Male and Female Brown above； with white line over the eye； and the back irregularly and faintly streaked with white。 Wings and tail barred with darker cinnamon…brown。 Underneath white。 Sides dusky。 Tail long and often carried erect。 Bill extra long and slender。 Range United States and southern British America。 Migrations May。 September。 Summer resident。
Sometimes when you are gathering cat…tails in the river marshes an alert； nervous little brown bird rises startled from the rushes and tries to elude you as with short； jerky flight it goes deeper and deeper into the marsh； where even the rubber boot may not follow。 It closely resembles two other birds found in such a place； the swamp sparrow and the short…billed marsh wren； but you may know by its long； slender bill that it is not the latter； and by the absence of a bright bay crown that it is not the shyest of the sparrows。
These marsh wrens appear to be especially partial to running water； their homes are not very far from brooks and rivers； preferably those that are affected in their rise and flow by the tides。 They build in colonies； and might be called inveterate singers； for no single bird is often permitted to finish his bubbling song without half the colony joining in a chorus。
Still another characteristic of this particularly interesting bird is its unique architectural effects produced with coarse grasses woven into globular form and suspended in the reeds。 Sometimes adapting its nest to the building material at hand； it weaves it of grasses and twigs； and suspends it from the limb of a bush or tree overhanging the water； where it swings like an oriole's。 The entrance to the nest is invariably on the side。
More devoted homebodies than these little wrens are not among the feathered tribe。 Once let the hand of man desecrate their nest； even before the tiny speckled eggs are deposited in it； and off go the birds to a more inaccessible place； where they can enjoy their home unmolested。 Thus three or four nests may be made in a summer。
SHORT…BILLED MARSH WREN （Cistothorus stellaris） Wren family
＇Called also： SEDGE WREN； AOU 1998＇
Length 4 to 5 inches。 Actually about one…third smaller than the English sparrow； but apparently only half its size。 Male and Female Brown above； faintly streaked with white； black； and buff。 Wings and tail barred with same。 Underneath white； with buff and rusty tinges on throat and breast。 Short bill。 Range North America； from Manitoba southward in winter to Gulf of Mexico。 Most common in north temperate latitudes。 Migrations Early May。 Late September。
Where red…winged blackbirds like to congregate in oozy pastures or near boggy woods； the little short…billed wren may more often be heard than seen； for he is more shy； if possible； than his long…billed cousi