158 RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



relieved. Indeed it is a marvel to me that even a female 

 wren can sit still. They have such nervous tempera- 

 ments that an entire change of nidification, whereby solar 

 heat could be depended upon, would, no doubt, be hailed 

 by them with joy. 



Five young birds were hatched April 9th. When twen- 

 ty days old they were able to fly, and had left the nest and 

 apparently their parents. I saw them, evidently shifting 

 for themselves, two days later, when they disappeared. 

 May 14th the old birds were again building a nest, this 

 time in another building, but in a similar position. The 

 structure was identical in shape and size, but differed in 

 being largely lined with snake-skins. It was completed 

 by May 20th, and a week later seven eggs had been laid, 

 and June 7th six eggs were hatched. The young were 

 on the wing July 1st. July 15th a third nest was found 

 nearly completed. Five eggs were laid by the 23d, and 

 on August 8th the young birds of the third brood had 

 appeared. These could fly by the 26th of the month, 

 and had left the nest and the neighborhood by the 30th. 



It is now a few days more than a year since my atten- 

 tion was particularly called to the single Carolina wren 

 that frequented the stable. During the past twelve 

 months it was closely watched, and every habit noted. 

 When I was absent others observed it for me, and nothing 

 of importance escaped attention. While I am writing 

 these concluding lines, I can hear the bird singing merrily 

 as it sits upon the top of the hop-vine pole, of late its 

 favorite perch. While listening to its song it is a proper 

 time to sum up the results of what I have seen and heard. 

 As a songster it ranks very high and its utterances arc 

 all original. As a spider-hunter it is as active as any of 

 the family of wrens. As a courageous foe of the English 

 sparrows it is a blessing to the community. 



