loS WREN. 



Morocco and Algeria, although aosent from Egypt ; and it has been 

 met with in the Caucasus, Northern Persia, Asia Minor and the 

 north of Palestine. The representative species in Central x\sia is 

 T. pallidus, beyond which it is unnecessary to sketch the distribu- 

 tion of the genus, Mr. Sharpe having already done so in the 

 ' Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum,' vol. vi. pp. 268-280, 

 where our bird bears the name of Anorthm-a troglodytes. 



The Wren is a very early breeder; making its nest in shrubs, bushes 

 overgrown with brambles, hedges, banks, the sides of walls covered 

 with ivy, trees, hayricks, thatched roofs and other situations. 

 The materials employed are principally leaves and moss, although 

 dry grass is often used ; sometimes with a lining of feathers. The 

 structure, which" is comparatively large, is domed above, and has a 

 small hole in the side ; the eggs, about 6-8 (though 16 young have 

 been found in one nest), are white, generally spotted with red : 

 average measurements "67 by '5 in. Two broods are produced in 

 the season. It is a common belief, and one not to be rashly dis- 

 countenanced, that if the inside of a ^V'ren's nest is touched the 

 bird will desert it ; but if care be used such is by no means in- 

 variably the case. Imperfect nests are frequently found near an 

 occupied one, and owing to the notion that they are built by the 

 male bird for his lodging at night, they are commonly known as 

 " cocks' nests." In winter, however, old nests and holes in walls or 

 thatched roofs are undoubtedly resorted to by Wrens in some num- 

 bers for warmth and shelter. The song, loud for the size of the 

 bird, may be heard during the greater part of the year ; the call- 

 note is a sharp clicking chit. The food consists principally of 

 insects, for which search is made in all sorts of crannies, but in winter 

 the bird will eat seeds and any odd scraps. 



The adult has a dull white streak over the eye ; upper parts red- 

 dish-brown, with narrow transverse darker bars ; outer quills umber- 

 brown, barred with buff and dark brown on the exterior webs ; under 

 parts buffish-white on the chin and throat, becoming browner on the 

 belly and flanks, the latter being somewhat barred ; bill dark brown 

 above, paler below, legs and feet light brown. Length 3-5 in. ; wing 

 1*9 in. The female is smaller, duller above and browner beneath, 

 and has paler legs. The young are less distinctly barred. 



