EUROPEAN WREN. 29 



says that although it is commonly seven or eight, so many as 

 sixteen or seventeen have been found in its nest : " Robert 

 Smith, weaver in Bathgate, told me, that a few years ago, he 

 saw in a nest, which was built on the bank of a rivulet about 

 two miles from Linlithgow, seventeen eggs ; and James D. 

 Baillie, Esq. informed me that in June last, he took out of 

 one which he discovered in a spruce tree near Polkemmet 

 House, sixteen eggs. He put them in again, and, on return- 

 ing sometime afterwards, found them all hatched." 



" On Saturday, the 17th of June 1837," Mr Weir con- 

 tinues, " the following observations respecting the habits of 

 the Wren were made in a hut formed of the branches of trees, 

 about the distance of six feet from a nest. Shortly after I 

 had put my finger into it, to ascertain whether or not the 

 young were ripe, their mother arrived, and perceiving that 

 the entrance to it had been touched, set up a doleful lamenta- 

 tion, carefully rounded it with her breast and wings, and with 

 her partner commenced her natural attention to her offspring, 

 which consisted of six young ones. Between three and four 

 o'clock in the morning, they fed them ten times ; and from 

 four to five twenty-one times. The female now went into the 

 nest, and remained a few minutes. From five to six o'clock, they 

 fed their young twenty-one times; from six to seven, also twenty- 

 one times. The female went into the nest twice, and the male 

 sang almost incessantly during the last two hours. From 

 seven to eight o'clock, they fed them twenty-two times ; and, 

 although they were ripe, the female sat upon them nearly ten 

 minutes. From eight to nine o'clock, they fed them fifteen 

 times ; from nine to ten, twelve times ; from ten to eleven, 

 fourteen times ; from eleven to twelve, eighteen times ; and 

 from twelve to one, fifteen times. The female went into the 

 nest for a short time. From one to two o'clock, they fed them 

 eleven times ; from two to three, eighteen times. The female 

 went into the nest, and remained a few minutes. From three 

 to four o'clock, they fed them thirteen times, and from four 

 to five, seventeen times. During the greater part of this hour, 

 there was a heavy fall of rain, accompanied with a great deal 

 of loud thunder. The female entered the nest, and continued 



