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MEMORANDA RESPECTING THE NIDIFICATION OF 

 THE COMMON WRExV. 



{MotaciUa Troglodytes; Gmelin ; Shaw. — Sylvia T. Latham. — Troff: 

 Europeeus, T. griseus, alls nigra cinereoque undulatio, Shaw.) 



To enter into a very minute descri{)tion of a bird so well known, 

 would be, probably, superfluous : a sketch of its general ap- 

 pearance will be sufficient for my purpose. The bill slender, of 

 a light brown, the lower mandible slightly tinged with yellow : 

 the irides dark; the upper parts brown, barred with black, and 

 fading into a paler tint near the tail, which is deep brown, 

 marked with black : the throat of a dingy white, and the breast 

 a light ash colour, occasionally spotted with brown. The female 

 is darker than the male, and lays from ten to fifteen eggs. 



Connected with the nidification of wrens, a iew facts which 

 have fallen under my notice I will venture to offer, from an 

 impression that they may possess interest for the reader. In a 

 grotto at Cracombe, composed principally of rock-work and 

 moss, the bnck and roof being constructed with the latter, secured 

 by small sticks, a pair of wrens built their nest, and, from con- 

 stant association with the fixmily, grew so familiar as to admit of 

 our watching their habits. After strict observation, we came to 

 the conclusion that in building the nest, the female is the chief 

 architect, her mate going in quest of materials. In two days the 

 domicile was complete, and, three weeks after, the nestlings made 

 their appearance. The old birds becoming so tame as to pick 

 crumbs, or even raw meat, from a table in the grotto, we had 

 an opportunity of seeing them engaged in the occupation of 

 feeding their young ; and from this we discovered that very small 

 caterpillars, such as are frequently found on mignionette, formed 

 a considerable proportion of their early food. When the brood 

 was fledged (and of course far more interesting than in their 

 callow state), the parents enlarged the aperture of the nest much 

 beyond the usual size ; whether this proceeding was rendered 

 necessary by the darkness of their retreat, or indicated an in- 

 creased confidence of safety, I am unable to decide. A sad 

 catastrophe put an end to inquiry ; for in the course of a few 

 days we found the poor little birds destroyed by a small per- 

 foration in the back of the head, through which the brains had 

 been extracted, thus calling to recollection the words of a talented 

 writer, who, dwelling on the ferocity of the " Red- skins," or North 

 American Indians, says, 'nhey brained their foes even as the 

 titmice do the nestlings !"* But to proceed. Wrens, invariably, 



* Notwithstanding this reputed " ferocity" of the " Redskins,^'' the writer will 

 venture to boast of an intimate acquaintance with an Indian chief of the highest 

 rank, who came over to England to arrange the particulars of a hunting treatyy 

 and was known by the name of Norton. He was a sincere Christian, and his 

 whole wishes were concentrated in the welfare of his powerful tribe. He was a 



