120 BRITISH BIRDS. 



With thy tiny, faithful mate, 



Here meet'st, resigii'd, the frowns of fate. 



While proudei birds fly high or far, 



Or mix them in the strife of war — 



Or, restless, through the world will range, 



And, restless, still delight in change. 



Thou mak'st thy home a place of rest. 



Affection, love, and that is best ! 



Then welcome, welcome, faithful wren ! 



Thrice welcome to thy home again !" 



A strong desire to wash themselves appears in some 

 birds, while others are as much inclined to dust them- 

 selves, as, for example, the common wren. This ap- 

 pears to be dictated by instinct. It is scarcely possible 

 for the little birds, in some instances, to see through the 

 opening of their covered nests the parents dusting them- 

 selves on the ground ; in other cases this could not be 

 observed from the position of the nest; and, besides, 

 the desire is equally powerful in all individuals. On 

 the other hand, the nests of the wood-wren, and many 

 birds which wash themselves eagerly on the first op- 

 portunity that occurs after they can feed themselves, 

 could never have seen the like, their nest having been 

 situated under the roots of a tree upon a dry bank in 

 a wood. " This impulse," says the Hon. and Rev.W. 

 Herbert, " is therefore inspired by the Creator ; and 



