OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 87 



"After watching the Tree-creeper for a few moments the 

 Wren made a sudden rush, and fairly frightened the Tree- 

 creeper some inches away from its food. The Wren quickly 

 picked it up and flew away with it. This was clearly a feat 

 of strategy, and happened on the heap of logs. 



" My garden male Wren is becoming quite shrewd, for it does 

 not now mistake glass for space. If surprised when I come 

 home, it makes a rush past me through the doorway, the 

 result, I suppose, of its having been caught in the window so 

 often and examined. I have a habit of feeding it and its 

 family on a block by the door, and a few crumbs of cheese 

 are sufficient to bring them to my feet. 



" Last March I was using a kerosene tin to pick up windfall 

 apples. Standing it by the door, I verj^ soon saw the garden 

 female Wren come and perch on the edge of the tin and catch 

 sight of a grub on the bottom. But how to get that grub was 

 the trouble ! It leaned over and hopped round the edge of the 

 tin many times. It would like to go down and get that grub, 

 but it looked too risky. Happy thought ! — it would get 

 down outside and get it. Down it went and hunted all round 

 the tin, and seemed surprised it could not see the grub. Up 

 again to the edge it got to see if it was really there. Yes, 

 there it was ; so down it went again and tried to insert its 

 bill beneath the tin. Again it hopped up and feasted on the 

 sight for some little time, and then retired from the grub 

 hunt in despair. Birds are commonly deceived in this way. 



" As enemies, the Nankeen Kestrel, during summer, takes 

 numbers of young, while the fox, that terrible bird exter- 

 minator, plays havoc in the breeding season. That Wren is 

 lucky which does not have to rear a second brood. 



" At what age Wrens start breeding I have no certain 

 knowledge, and the large numbers of Wrens, during spring 

 and summer, which have no other occupation than that of 

 feeding themselves leads me to infer that the females do not 



