288 ODD HOURS WITH NATURE 



thrush, blackbird, and mavis can generally be 

 found skulking in sheltered places, such as the lee- 

 side of walls, searching for the elusive worm, 

 but when the high wind is accompanied by rain 

 they vanish like the lesser feathered people. 

 The smallest of British birds is the least depressed 

 of all by bad weather. On a day of hard frost 

 and nipping wind the little wren will suddenly 

 emerge from a heap of brushwood, and, sitting 

 on its topmost twig, pour out a burst of song 

 which would be considered splendid in volume 

 if it came from a bird ten times the performer in 

 weight. But wee Mr. Wren is also the greatest 

 skulker of all. Nearly all his time is passed creep- 

 ing about sheltered places looking for the small 

 game fit for his small crop, and his emergences 

 into the open rarely last for more than half a 

 minute at a time. He appears to feel it incumbent 

 on him to let the world know at intervals that he 

 is not a mouse, much though he may look like 

 one creeping about the roots of the hedge. 



