264 



THE BEWICK WREN. 



his beautiful 

 song or his 

 confidence in 

 man. 



The height 

 of these ac- 

 t i o n s is 

 reached at 

 the mating 

 season, for 

 he is the bird 

 that makes 

 life sweet 

 about the old 

 log cabins, 

 deserted 

 w o odpiles 

 and half-de- 

 stroyed or- 

 chards. Al- 

 m o s t any 

 place in the 

 n e i ghbor- 

 hood of man 

 is chosen for 

 a nesting 



site. The arm-pit of an old coat, old tin and coffee cups, log cabin nooks and 

 corners, often contain his nest. This is rather bulky, composed of sticks, 

 grass, wool, horse and cow hairs, quail and chicken feathers, snake skins and 

 other rubbish. From four to eleven eggs are found in it in April and again in 

 June. They are white with various spots of lilac-gray and brown, and my 

 observations lead me to the belief that the eggs of the older birds are more 

 heavily spotted than those of the younger ones, and the spots are also better 

 distributed over the entire surface of the eggs, while those of younger birds 

 show more minute spots, and these generally in a wreath around the blunt end 

 of the egg. In about two weeks the eggs are hatched and a jolly crowd of 

 youngsters soon joins the parents in their insect-hunt, and the next year we 

 have the pleasure of hearing still oftener this bold, bright songster in his na- 

 tive haunts. May the Bewick Wren live and thrive forever in the f-igged 

 hills of southern Ohio, to bring joy and cheerfulness to the hearts of men! 



W. F. HENNINGHR. 



Takei 



Wai-erly. Photo by Rev. W. F. 



BEWICK WREN'S NEST IN OLD TIN CUP. 



H 



inger. 



