12 



THE MUSEUM. 



Fall reminds them of their Autumn 

 migration southwards. 



The other pole was for the occupa- 

 tion of my little friends the Wrens, 

 {T. Acdoii) who arrived a little earlier 

 than their above neighbors. 



The Wrens (two pairs) duly arrived, 

 and after closely inspecting every knot 

 hole and crevice to be found, in or 

 about the out houses and barn, finally 

 selected the box appointed for them; 

 which although a new one to them, 

 occupied the place of an old one, which 

 had been taken down the previous 

 winter; and in which they had nested 

 for some years. They rapidly com- 

 menced work, and soon numerous 

 sticks adorned their respective com- 

 partments; when suddenly a pair of 

 English Sparrows {P. Domcsticus) put 

 in an appearance, and driving away its 

 occupauts, took forcible possession of 

 both compartments. The Wrens re- 

 treated and disappeared, but in the 

 short time of ten minutes returned 

 with reinforcements, consisting of 

 about seven or eight other Wrens, who 

 after a sharp conflict, drove the in- 

 truders from the field. 



The Sparrows, in about fifteen min- 

 utes, also returned, they in their turn 

 having picked up about ten recruits 

 and vigorously attacked and put to 

 flight the whole army of Wrens. 



Whilst attentively watching the 

 battle, and considering it about time 

 for my interference; I noticed a Wren 

 slip over my bird house, and enter one 

 of the compartments of the Martin box 

 which was upon a much higher pole; 

 and distant about ten yards from their 

 pole, upon whose box the victorious 

 Sparrows were chippering and show- 

 ing every sign of victory. 



The Wren soon stole away and dis- 



appeared, and one of the female Mar- 

 tins came out of its compartments, 

 and was soon joined by the other fe- 

 male; in a few minutes the male Mar- 

 tins arrived very closely together; and 

 uttering a few notes all four charged 

 the Sparrows, and in a minute or two 

 had completely routed the aggressors, 

 who never returned again; the Martins 

 returned to their box and soon the the 

 four Wrens came back, and settled 

 down happily. 



I thought this was a clear case of 

 bird sense, and bird language on the 

 Wren's part; for finding they could 

 not hold their own, appealed to their 

 neighboring Wrens first, but where 

 they found them so quickly, I couLI 

 not say, for I only knew of one nest, 

 about 200 yards distant, also their 

 shrewd policy when the enemy was 

 reinforced, in applying for help to 

 their powerful neighbors. 



The Martins attacked the Sparrows^ 

 in a similar way that Bee Martins im- 

 ploy in fighting Hawks, or other birds 

 who approach their nests. 



I would remark that the first En- 

 glish Sparrows ever seen in Hallock, 

 20 miles from the Canadian Line; was 

 in the fall of 1892, when about 40 

 suddenly appeared, having evidently 

 arrived within an empty freight car, 

 for they were first discovered by my- 

 self close to the station. 



E. Kroy, 

 Kittson Co., Minn. 



Changes in Land and Sea. 



(CONTINUED FROM AUGUST NUMBER.) 



At Kilnsea, Owthorne and else- 

 where the sea has played the part 

 of body-snatcher, breaking open the 

 churchyards and scattering the splint- 



