142 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



If pursued it will readily creep into the first chink 

 it can . find, or even bury itself in a drift of dead 

 leaves. 



One thing certainly that makes the Wren an 

 object of endearment to most people is its perennial 

 song. With the exception of a few weeks in 

 autumn, durinor which the bird is undero-oine its 

 moult, its loud and cheery song is one of the most 

 characteristic sounds of the country. The most 

 striking part of the song is its loudness, out of all 

 proportion to the size of its producer. The vigorous 

 way in which it is uttered is also very remarkable, 

 the tiny minstrel seeming to exhaust his entire stock 

 of vital energy in its production. At times it seems 

 as though his little throat would actually burst with 

 the tremendous exertion. The Wren's is a song of 

 every season, in harmony with all, never out of 

 place, always cheerful, spirit-raising, and charming. 

 It rings just as clearly and joyously out amidst the 

 snow-draped hedges as in the height of summer ; it 

 is equally in keeping with spring-tide balminess and 

 wealth of bloom, as with autumn sadness, falling 

 leaves, dripping woods and general decay. The 

 Wren is no fitful songster either ; his glad carol 

 when he is in voice may be heard incessantly all the 

 livelong day, first one bird and then another taking 

 up the stirring chorus. The bird usually remains 

 stationary until the short song is finished, often 

 perched on a bending spray at the top of the hedge ; 

 rarely, however, does it remain in exactly the same 



