on the Blue Wren.



17



class of Wren’s song, which I attributed to Fidgety Phil, so

perhaps what I now hear is the song of only the female—perhaps

of only the Spinster Aunt, who uttered it from time to time

during the period that she was alone.


The odd female, whose tail I carefully notched, has been

put back into her old position in the family circle of Spinster

Aunt, and is decidedly vinegarisli in consequence. The three

are once more united, but it is exceedingly difficult to pick out

the baby. Sometimes it will dart to its mother for a tit-bit: and

whenever the parents are sitting together it will jump on to the

top of them, and will not be satisfied until it has forced its way

down and finds itself once more with a beloved parent on either

side of it.


It had been my desire to have the family of Blue Wrens

painted whilst they were in the garden. The group I had in

my mind, and which I was anxious to have depicted on paper,

was the little tot glued on to the thin high waving cane on

which I had first perceived it, and which was its favourite perch

when the sun shone, with its parents on either side, the father

protecting the infant life while the mother nurtured it—a

beautiful picture of Family Life as designed by our All Wise

Creator. But Mr. Gronvold had his hands full, and was not

able to pay his respects to the Blue Wrens until the 13th of

August, after they had been brought into the house. This was

unfortunate, for the light was indifferent and the birds were

unrestful, and the male, with that remarkable consciousness of

brilliantly-coloured birds in the presence of strangers, declined

to be interviewed. I would not listen to our artist’s bland

suggestion that I should terrify the little mites by catching them

up and putting them into a small cage, which might be moved

about, and in which they could be freely inspected; much as I

value a good painting, I have a far greater regard for the welfare

of my pets. Eventually a large plant was placed on the table,

and from behind it Mr. Gronvold made several sketches and

studies from life, on this occasion and again on the 29th, with

the result that we are now able to present to our Members the

exquisite plate which adorns our first number of the New

Volume and Series. The little caterpillar in the foreground is



