THE JENNY WREN. US' 



The following is Bishop Mant's poetical description of this 

 species : 



See you the little Creeper twine 



Bound yonder trunk his spiral line, 



Intent each mossy tuft to mark, 



Each crevice in the furrowed bark, 



Where haply lurks his wished-for food 



The insects' eggs, or tiny brood. 



Scarce will you hear his frequent squeak 



Of sound monotonous and weak ; 



Scarce his retiring figure see, 



As round the intervening tree 



Mouse-like in size and act he steals. 



The tree's impending trunk conceals 



His back in sober tawny drest, 



Wings streaked with brown, and silvery breast. 



Nor known nor heeded much ; but sent 



To man a powerful instrument : 



From orchard-fruit, and garden-flower, 



Hedge-row and copse and woodland bower, 



To spoil the insect, and disarm 



The canker of its power to harm. 



Such debt for kindness oft we owe 



To those we little heed or know ; 



Such benefit from meaner things 



To those of nobler semblance springs ; 



Such blessings flow from feeble hands 



When the Creator's will commands. 



THE WREN. 



THE EUROPEAN WREN, called by naturalists Anorthyra tro- 

 glodytes, is the single representative which we have of the 



H 



