WREN. 465 



Palestine. Returning westwavd it occurs in Crete, unci pretty 

 generally in all the islands of the Mediterranean, as well as 

 in Algeria. Mr. Drake records it from Eastern Morocco, 

 where he says he also saw a second species. Mr. Vernon- 

 Harcourt gives it as occurring in Madeira, and Dr. Bolle in 

 the Canaries, but Mr. Godman does not seem to have found 

 it in either group of islands. It is a well-known bird 

 throughout the rest of continental Europe. 



The curious custom of " Hunting the Wren " has been 

 mentioned by many writers ; but little can be added to the 

 accounts of it given by the late Sir Henry Ellis, in his notes 

 to Brand's 'Popular Antiquities' (ii.p. 516), and by Thompson, 

 though from its practice obtaining in countries far apart it is 

 most likely of much greater antiquity than has been often sup- 

 posed. It seems to have been first noticed by Charles Smith, 

 in his 'State of the County of Cork' (ii. p. 334, note), 

 published in 1750, as followed in the south of Ireland, and 

 subsequently by Vallancey (Collectanea de Eebus Hibernicis, 

 iv. no. 13, p. 97). On Christmas-day boys and men, each 

 using two sticks, one to beat the bushes the other to fling at 

 the bird, went out in a body to hunt and kill the >Vren, 

 which, from its habit of making but short flights, was no 

 doubt soon done to death. On the following day, the feast 

 of St. Stephen, the dead bird, hung by the leg between two 

 hoops, crossed at right angles and decked with ribbons, was 

 carried about by the " Wren-boys," who sang a song, begin- 

 ning — " Droeilin, Droeilin, ri an t-eum " (that is — "Wren, 

 Wren, king of birds"), and begged money "to bury the 

 Wren * " . This ceremony, which, however it may have arisen , 

 had become quite senseless, was, when Thompson wrote, 

 falling into disuse, and in 1845 the then Mayor of Cork by 

 proclamation forbade its continuance. Mr. Halliwell (Nursery 

 Pthymes, Ed. 2, p. 248) notices the same practice in the Isle 

 of Man, and gives the words there sung; while on February 



* To Mr. Norman Moore the Editor is indebted for the Erse words of the song 

 above quoted. In Mr. and Mrs. S. 0. Hall's ' Ireland : its Scenery, Character,' 

 &c. (i. pp. -23-25), the entire English version, as sung in the county Cork, is 

 given, together with the musical notes of the tune. 



VOL. I. '^ ^ 



