YELLOW WOODWREN. 369 



wings, and occasionally by a slight vertical motion of the tail. 

 On Monday the 14th May, when observing the manners of 

 this bird, one of which was sporting in a tall hedge-row, I 

 disturbed a humble bee, Bombus terrestris, which was feeding 

 on the expanded flower of the common but beautiful Dande- 

 lion. After circling and murmuring round my head, it flew 

 off in a direction parallel to the hedge ; and as it passed the 

 Wood Wren, he ceased his song, and darted at it. I was so 

 near that I distinctly heard his bill crack against the bee''s 

 horny sides. The insect was stunned, and nearly fell to the 

 ground, while the Wood Wren returned to the hedge, from 

 which he again made an unsuccessful dart at the poor bee. 

 From the 14th to the 28th of July, I never heard the Wood 

 Wren''s song, although I saw plenty of the birds daily. Dur- 

 ing this period the weather was cloudy and very often wet, the 

 east winds felt cold, although the thermometer ranged from 58° 

 to 69° at noon. After this we had fine weather, when their 

 song was again heard. As this bird is a great favourite of 

 mine, I resolved to note every day on which I heard his 

 delightful song ; but at that time I little expected that I 

 should ever have the honour of submitting the result of my 

 labours to your inspection. I began on the 8th of August, 

 and found that it sung on the 8th, 10th, 15th, 18th, and 

 26th, the thermometer at noon being 60°, 64°, 60°, 68°, and 

 6B°; and on the 2d, 6th, 9th, and 10th of September, when 

 the thermometer was 55°, 52°, 50°, and 50°. Between the 

 8th of August and the 10th of September, their voice was 

 not heard during windy weather, unless when it fell calm. 

 Notwithstanding the high range of the thermometer, the wind, 

 particularly the east wind, felt very cold, when they did not 

 sing. The 6th of September was a very stormy day, but 

 about noon the wind and rain ceased, the sun broke forth, and 

 the Wood Wren's note was again heard. When bad weather 

 was impending, they sung very little. Both this bird and the 

 Willow Wren are very tame ; those in our garden would 

 allow me to approach to within five or six feet of them, and 

 often nearer. It was on the 10th of September that I last 



VOL. II. B B 



