Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-06
BUSY BIRD ARCHITECTS,
Thc Marsh Wren and His Fondnesa
for Constructing Nests.

for Constructing Nests.
Wnile everybody who has had any ex
perience of rural or suburban life is more
OF less acquainted with that delightful but
somewhat erratic songster, the house wren,
now many are there aside from profess
sionai ornithologists, who have any knowl-
ease OF his cousin who makes his home
down On the flats and in the marshes along
the Potomac river? In general appearance
and in restlessness of character the two
birds are quite similar, but in some other
respects they differ widely more particularly
IN their selection of habitation Our upland
friend affects the vicinage of man and his
works, and chooses for his home the aban-
doned nest of a woodpecker or box
placed by the kindly hand of his brother
blFeI, bet he of the marshes is independent
OF an sucn helps, and constructs for himself
d donliclie that is not only eminently suit
ahle tor the purpose, but is a marvel of
constructive skill and patient industry
20 down on the flats or on any of the
marshes along the Potomac about the first
week IN june when the sedges FURNISHES
anu coarse marsh grasses are we'll grown,
ana you Will be greeted by a low soft
SIeiltaunS MARBLE coming apparently from
W Eens OF oiHerent points among the rank
vegetation, but you will search in vain for
the Songsters, for as you advance into tn,
jungle, they will steadily recede. keeping
Always just in front of you, and before you
same distance in the rear and all around.
nile this song cannot be considered as In
ens sense musical one, it has a CHEEKY
souhd and seems indicative of a contented
anu happy disposition, and shows that the
somewhat damp and malarial surroundings
lave not been able to depress the spirits or
our d;minutive friends
But IL The marsh wren does not rate high
as songster he more than comnensato.
ior TINS deficiency by his skill as an archi
3; ~ LUZ IN the matter Of house building he
Is an artist of the first rank Look about
among the PUSHES and tall grass and yor
VIII probably soon discover a bunch of dry
grass as large as a cocoanut-or perhans
iarger-suspended between half a Gozer
s.aihs Oh herbage few feet from the
around II this be carefully examined 4,
VII, De seen to consist of an oyal-shaped
rather neatly woven ball. and apparentlv
perfectly solid.
sn nu. look more closely and see if you can
ma hole anywhere that may serve as an
entrance tc the interior. You may be Iuck,
eiough 10 discover it at once or Won 1uas
search some time before you hit upon IL
anu some people have given up and de.
ciared that there Was no entrance INIT n
there all the same. Having found the doo,
10 TINS snug domicile run your finger 4,
anu te7i the interior. You will probably
md the bottom without any soft lining. and
camp almost to wetness. You will natural
~ ih1er That the nest is not Vet finished
and the birds have not yet laid Should
you wish to tear this structure aDart yo,,
VIII find that it requires all the strenpti
You have about you.
careful search will probably shov-
many other tests similar to this one. anG
after while one NAV be found with :.
soft lining and containing eggs. These I.
the fuii clutch has been laid. will be abou;
six IN number, and if you take them on,
ior examination will be seen to be of :,
Drown mahogany color. forming one of tho
lew exceptions TO the general rule that
eggs IL concealed or covered nests arr.
white. A careful exploration of the marsh
VIII usually show about one occupied mes.
to every five or six vacant ones and the
casual observer Will conclude that there f.
quite colony OF birds, but that only a few
OF them have finished their nests and laid
but. to use the expressive slang of the age
that's where he's off,
While other birds that build much simpler
nests than this are content to build but one
TINS eccentric creature fairly revels In
mouse building Having constructed two o.
three or these abodes. the lady in the cas-
selects the one most to her liking, and m,
lord at once puts in the proper furniture
and bedding. and preparations for a family
are at once begun. But our friend is. a.
has been stated, house builder by trade
and being blessed with a superiority of
Time and energy, he goes on building house
after house upon every available site and
1t not that six wide-open and ever-empty
mouths are soon, like Oliver Twist con-
Stantly asking for more.
AS 1t is, five or six nests besides the one
representing, so far as we can see SO mucl:
waste of energy. Scientists have formed
several more or less plausible theories tc
account for this surplus nest building blu.
none of them have ever satisfied even the,,
own authors. 1t is probably the survival
OF habit once useful. but now no longe;
necessary.
To get sight of the birds requires thai
one remain for time perfectly still and
concealed among the rushes. Curiosity l.;
now transferred to the fea,hered biped
VINO will try TO get peep at the intrude.
whose whereabouts are 10 longer revealet
by his movements; and for this purposr.
he will perch upon the highest available
point, and SO afford a chance for inspec-
ton.
This peculiar bird is not confined to thi.
part of the country, but is found in every
suitable locality east of the Rocky noun
tains. In many places where no tai
rushes are found it contents itself witt
grass TO higher than ones knees, provid-
ed it is so thick that the nest, though moi
more than a foot from the ground, Is
completely concealed from above On tn,
other hand. when willows abound in the
marshes, it will sometimes select build
Ing site seven or eight feet high. These
however, are extremes. The nest is moro
commonly aboutS three feet from the
ground. or water, as the case may be, and
is hard to match as specimen Of bird
architecture.