34 FAMILIAR If I LI) BIRDS. 



that Wrens naturally kept to the shelter of the hedgerows, 

 and seldom ventured upon any leng-thened Hight, these 

 boys, armed with stieks and stones, would beat on either 

 side oi" the hedge until i)oor Jenny was killed. AVe hope, 

 however, this pructiee is det'unet. It may have arisen from 

 the old eustum of " Hunting- the Wren on Christmas 

 Ddy/^ onee general in many parts of Ireland and Wales, if 

 nof also of England, when one party would carry sticks to 

 beat the bushes, and another stones to kill the poor birds 

 as they emerged. The origin of this curious custom is 

 lo^t in obscui'ity. It has been ascribed to the anger felt 

 by the Cat holic Iri sh at a W^ren saving from surprise and 

 masst>cre. by ta[)pin g on a drum, a small party of worn-out 

 Protestants. But it is singular that this same legend in 

 Southeni Ireland occasioned a ceremony in which a Wren 

 was carried about in honour, to the accompaniinent of the 

 following _ditty : — 



Tlic wren, tlio wren, the king of all birds;, 

 Was lauiflit St. Stephen's day in the fur/e; 

 Although he's little, his family's great, 

 Then, l)ray, kind gentlefolks, give him a treat. 



Jennv or Kitty Wren, as it is also called, is one of j)ur 

 smalh^st birds, and yet there is sc arce ly one Itcttcr knowji. 

 This may be on account <jf the nursery tale of the court- 

 ship and marriage of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren ; and 

 doubtless that same story may account for the idea which 

 is still ])revalent, that the Wren is the female of the llobin. 

 In early spring attentive observers of Nature may see a 

 ))air of Wrens engaged most busjl\- in the work of nest- 

 building. This stiudure, which is dome-shaped, with an 

 ajjcrture at the side, is compo^^d of most varied materials, 

 principally twigs, roots, Icavt's, moss, and featbers, and is 



