292 BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



Family, TROGLODYTIDyE (Wrens). 



THE WREN 



(Troglodytes parvulus). 



Plate 103. 



This tiny but familiar bird is abundantly represented 

 throughout the British Isles at all seasons of the year. 

 Of small size, sober colour, and generally solitary habits, 

 it is nevertheless brought into prominence by its fear- 

 lessness and by its strong and excellent powers of song, 

 while its characteristic shape never allows the slightest 

 doubt as to its identity. 



Although the species is resident, and our native birds 

 are almost certainly sedentary, there is a certain amount 

 of autumnal immigration on our eastern seaboard ; but this 

 does not appear to affect the numbers of the species 

 except in a few coastal districts. On ' remote St Kilda ' 

 the Wren has, through its sedentary habits and the isola- 

 tion of the place, diverged somewhat from the normal 

 mainland type. Before the facts were very well known 

 'the St Kilda Wren' (T. hirtensis) was considered a 

 distinct species ; but nowadays we do not deem it worthy 

 of such isolated rank, but prefer to call it a mere local 

 race. The differences in plumage are not great, and the 

 habits appear to be identical, apart from the choice of 

 nesting-sites and other matters directly influenced by the 

 nature of the environment of the island form. 



Under mainland conditions the choice of nesting-sites 

 varies very much. Sometimes a tree is chosen, more often 

 a thick bush or hedge, and very frequently some sheltered 

 bank, some ivy-clad, tumble-down wall, or the thatched 



