CHAPTER VI 



THE SECRET OF THE WILLOW WREN 



The willow wren is one of the commonest and 

 undoubtedly the most generally diffused of the 

 British songsters. A summer visitor, one of the 

 earliest to arrive, usually appearing on the South 

 Coast in the last week in March ; a little later he 

 may be met with in very nearly every wood, thicket, 

 hedge, common, marsh, orchard, and large garden 

 throughout the kingdom — it is hard to say, writes 

 Seebohm, where he is not found. Wherever there 

 are green perching-places, and small caterpillars, 

 flies and aphides to feed upon, there you will see 

 and hear the willow wren. He is a sweet and con- 

 stant singer from the date of his arrival until about 

 the middle of June, when he becomes silent for a 

 season, resuming his song in July, and continuing 

 it throughout August and even into September. 

 This late summer singing is, however, fitful and 

 weak and less joyous in character than in the spring. 

 But in spite of his abundance and universality, 

 and the charm of his little melody, he is not fami- 



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