OF VICTORIA. 



81 



wrens during spring and summer which have no other 

 occupation than that of feeding themselves leads me to 

 infer thai the females do not breed during the first year. 

 Male and female when once mated remain so until accident 

 or the advent of a stronger or more pugnacious male 

 causes a division. With regard to the proportion of males 



Fig. 16. Nest of White-backed Wren. One-seventh natural size. 



to females in the brood, I have not as yet observed more 

 than one male in a brood of three. My garden wrens have 

 just had the unusual brood of four, and still only one male, 

 but to be certain of this point the families will require 

 further watching." The males moult their blues for brown 



7 



