306 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



nest building within a few days. Others claim that they 

 come together. I have known wrens to begin building the 

 day they arrived. 



When the brood leave the nest, they follow the parents 

 through the bushes and garden, seldom more than a few 

 feet behind. For once the father is silent, seeming to 

 realize that their safety depends on their moving unseen 

 until the young are better able to fly. It is interesting to 

 see how eager the young birds are to catch their first worm. 

 At first the parents catch the worms, and give them to the 

 youngster that is nearest. Within a day or two the parent 

 finds the worm, but leaves it for the youngster to catch. 

 Within a week or two the young birds have completed their 

 education and are left to shift for themselves. Then the 

 parents return to the nest to rear a new brood. 



Sally's plucky temper, coupled with the inborn hatred 

 for the race of cats, finally brought about her undoing. 

 She felt it was her duty to chase all dogs and cats out of 

 the neighborhood of her nest. Usually wrens are content 

 with scolding and complaining whenever a dog or cat 

 comes near, but Sally came to the point where she did not 

 hesitate to fly straight into the face of a cat or dog, and 

 usually the astonished beast would run. One day she be- 

 came too bold and reckless. Her last brood had been fly- 

 ing only a day or two and were not very sure of their 

 wings. Doubtless she was unusually anxious to drive 

 away the old cat that came to sit on the front door step. 

 She chased it around the house, but that did not satisfy 

 her. Finally the outraged cat stopped, crouched, and as 

 Sallie swooped struck her with his paw and before any one 

 could interfere she was no more. 



