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craving for maternity in their own poor little breasts. To me

the odd females seem to represent the Spinster Aunts of the Blue

Wren community.


I send this hast}' sketch at once, while my spirit is stirred

lip within me, for my avicultural duties are so heavy that r

if I were to put off writing until “ to-morrow,” probably nothing

would ever be written about my Blue Wrens. But hasty as the

sketch is, it will be of interest to our Australian cousins, to whom

the Blue Wren is almost as typical an emblem of their country as

the Emu.


It has since occurred to me that, on the morning of July

24, I saw a young bird above me I was unable to identify. It was

flying about a little, and had a shorter tail, but probably it was

this young Blue Wren. On the previous day, the Spinster Aunt

had been altogether exceptionally uneasy, flying about the

neighbourhood, and returning to the aviary only hurriedly and

as hurriedly departing. It did not return to the aviary to roost

until it was nearly dark. In the afternoon, one of my neigh¬

bours (who keeps the most dangerous cat about, or rather does

not keep it) came round to tell me that the bird was constantly

coming into one of her rooms through the open window, but

always flew out before she could shut it in. I let down a cage-

trap from one of my upper windows 011 to the top of the aviary,,

and caught the runaway before breakfast the following morning,

and have since kept it in the house.


Why was the odd female afraid to remain in the aviary?

My theory is that the two parents, excited by the presence of

their little branclier, had treated the Spinster Aunt so badly that

she feared for her life.


If this species is really polygamous, would my birds have

behaved in this manner? I know we may not judge by

individual experiences ; but I do not find that polygamy has

been fully proved. In any case, the behaviour of my birds is

worthy of being placed on record.


[August 5.—I cannot return the printer’s proof-sheets without adding

one word.


I have been out to see the young Blue Wren, which is basking in the

sun on a high perch side by side with its mother. The two birds are

practically alike, excepting for the baby expression and shorter tail of the

younger. The parents still feed the latter, but as a rule the female does

most of the feeding while the male keeps guard. The young bird hunts

freely amongst the foliage for insects ; but I have not seen it come down to

the food-saucers, nor to the ground. Wild, in a hot country teeming with



