A WILLOW WREN'S NEST 



the bird is easy to approach when it is feeding or 

 singing. She cried out two or three times on 

 seeing me, and down came her mate in haste. 

 But the building was soon resumed. The moss 

 roof, thatched less closely and firmly than the 

 common wren's, was on ; the interior was being 

 lined with dead grasses, fine and pliable ; and, 

 fearlessly now, the builder went into the nest. 



But exactly how she works I cannot tell. The 

 entrance faced towards the swamp away from me. 

 I have once been within a very few feet of a long- 

 tailed titmouse working at her nest, have seen the 

 whole process, but then the roof was not on ; the 

 bird sat inside and piled and patched up the sides. 

 Once the roof is on a willow wren's or a long-tailed 

 titmouse's nest, and the bird inside in the dark, you 

 cannot tell how the work is carried out, for you 

 cannot be in the nest with her. But, carrying a 

 couple of grasses, she will stay inside for a minute 

 and more ; there is more work in a willow wren's 

 nest than appears on the surface ; it is a loose 

 fabric when done, compared with the common 

 wren's ; none of the three " leaf warblers " knits 

 firmly, though I have once seen a chiff-chafFs nest 

 of almost perfect form and workmanship ; but the 

 nest holds together, and well serves its purpose. 



The male willow wren took no part in the work. 

 He sang and fed in the oaks within easy call, and 

 clearly he was ready to come at the slightest alarm. 

 This, I think, is a common habit among English 

 birds. But very different is it with the long-tailed 



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