STOEIES ABOUT BIEDS. 807 



his voice sinking into a low, sad tone, as he 

 stretched his neck in every direction. Eeturn- 

 ing to the box, he seemed for some minutes 

 quite at a loss what to do, and soon went off, 

 as I thought, altogether, for I saw no more 

 of him that day. Toward the afternoon of the 

 second day, he again made his appearance, in 

 company with another female, who seemed 

 exceedingly shy, and, though not until after a 

 great deal of hesitation, entered the box. At 

 this moment, the little widower seemed as if 

 he would warble his very life out with joy. 

 They afterward raised a brood of seven young 

 ones, all of whom left the nest, at the proper 

 time, in safety." 



It is amusing to see the movements of a 

 family of wrens while they are building their 

 nest in a tree near the house. A few years 

 ago, I had an opportunity to watch a pair of 

 them from the time they held the first council 

 as to the place where their nest should be 

 placed, until the last piece of hair was woven 

 into the lining. They were as busy as they 

 could be during this season. One day I saw 

 one of the birds tugging at the end of some 

 cotton thread. It was wound on a spool which 

 had fallen out of the window. It would have 

 made you laugh heartily, I am sure, to have 



