THE COMMON WREN. 



should be king. The Eagle easily 

 mounted to the greatest height, but 

 when he had reached it a little brown 

 Wren that had cunningly hidden it- 

 self on his back fluttered a little higher, 

 and by this piece of deceit gained the 

 much-coveted honour. Whether for this 

 or some other equally supposed evil 

 deed, the poor bird used to be hunted 

 in our country every Christmas Day by 

 boys and men armed with sticks, and its 

 body publicly exhibited the following 

 day whilst money was begged to bury it. 

 Although the Common Wren is double 

 brooded and rears from four to eight 

 chicks twice each season, the stock never 

 seems to increase much from one year 

 to another. Nobody knows clearly what 

 becomes of all the birds. Of course, 

 natural death must claim a certain 

 number of victims, and I have no doubt 

 that both Owls and rats secure 

 many individuals whilst they are 

 asleep in holes in the thatches of 

 ricks. I have also found several frozen 

 to death during very severe weather in 

 the winter. In order to avoid this last 

 calamity the birds resort to a very in- 

 genious method of roosting. Although 

 they never go in flocks by day, eight or 

 61 



