Warblers. 95 



the eaves of hay-stacks, or in holes in walls, and in 

 deserted nests, or sometimes packed together, as many 

 as possible, on the branch of a tree, or rolled up in a 

 ball in a hole. 



Wrens appear to be very much attracted by bright 

 colours : anything red will take their fancy exceed- 

 ingly, and I have read of one of these birds hopping 

 up to a lady who was wearing a muslin dress figured 

 with buds or berries, and growing bolder and bolder, 

 till at last it pecked at the dress ; and I suppose the 

 colour must have been the attraction. The Wren's 

 nest is the most beautiful, snug little building possible, 

 with a domed roof, and small hole at the side, and a 

 lining of soft feathers. Eight eggs are generally laid 

 in this, but as many as sixteen have been found in a 

 nest. They are most useful little birds, from the quan- 

 tity of insects they devour, and have been observed 

 to carry food to their nest seventy times in the course 

 of an hour. They choose very extraordinary situations 

 for building sometimes, and Wrens' nests have been 

 found in the inside of a pump, in a water-spout, etc. 

 The HOUSE WREN of the United States (Troglodytes 

 domesticd) appears to be equally eccentric in its choice 

 of a locality. One of these birds built its nest in the 

 sleeve of a coat left for a few days in a shed. They 

 are said to be better songsters than our little Wrens, 

 and to be as bold and pugnacious as the Robin. 

 They build close to the houses, or in boxes placed for 



