BIRDS OF THE GARDEN 25 



Habits. Closely resembling the other Tits, but rather 

 shyer in the breeding season. 



Food. Insects and their larvae, seeds and berries. 



Nest. April or May. Probably one brood only. 



Site. In decayed stump of a tree, in willows, in bank, 

 hole sometimes excavated by the bird ; always near the 

 ground. 



Materials. Grass, moss, hair, and wool, felted 

 together, lined with willow-down. Note. None of the 

 other Tits use this latter material. 



Eggs. Five to eight. White, speckled and dotted 

 with pale red-brown. 



WREN (Troglodytes parvulus). 



Well distributed and common. 



Haunts. Hedges, woods, &c. 



Plumage. Upper parts reddish brown, transversely 

 barred with dusky brown ; whitish streak over eye. 

 Wings barred alternately with black and brown and buff 

 on outer webs. Tail dusky, barred with black, stumpy 

 and cocked up ; under parts pale reddish brown. Bill 

 dark brown above and paler below and rather long. 

 Legs light brown. Length 3 in. Female slightly 

 smaller, duller and browner beneath. Young more 

 rufous and less distinctly barred. 



Language. Song, rapid, and loud for so small a bird ; 

 somewhat like the Hedge Sparrow's, but more varied, and 

 terminating with a little trill. Alarm-note, a sharp 

 clicking " chit," like the noisy winding up of a clock. 



Habits. In winter more confiding, otherwise a skulker, 

 creeping about the bottom of hedges, and coming up to 

 the top of a small bough to fire off its rapid notes at 

 intervals. It is most jealous of its nest and makes many 

 false ones known as " cock-nests." Flight rapid and 

 peculiar, the wings being most rapidly vibrated in a 

 whirring manner like the Partridge. 



D 



