176 CERTHIAD^. 



adapted to the place : if built against the side of a hayrick, 

 it is composed of hay ; if against the side of a tree covered 

 with white moss, it is made of that material ; and with 

 green moss if against a tree covered with the same, or in a 

 bank. Thus instinct directs it for security." Mr. Jesse 

 mentions in his Gleanings, " that he has a Wren's nest in 

 his possession, built amongst some litter thrown into a 

 yard. It so nearly resembled the surrounding objects, that 

 it was only discovered by the birds flying out of it. Some 

 of the straws of which it is composed are so thick, that 

 one wonders how so small a bird could have used them." 

 Without wishing to detract from the character of the Wren 

 for intelligence, I cannot, however, but believe that the 

 proximity of materials may frequently influence the choice 

 of situation and substance. In the eighth volume of the 

 Magazine of Natural History, a correspondent says, "in 

 watching a pair of Wrens building their nest in an old road, 

 I noticed that one confined itself entirely to the construc- 

 tion of the nest, which it never left for a moment ; whilst 

 the other was as incessantly passing and repassing with ma- 

 terials for the structure. These materials, however, this 

 helper never once attempted to put into their places ; they 

 were always regularly delivered to the grand architect that 

 was employed in constructing the building." 



The nest is large, in reference to the small size of the 

 bird, generally oval in shape, domed over the top, with a 

 small hole at one end or on the side ; the lining is mostly 

 composed of feathers. The eggs are usually from seven to 

 ten in number, but a larger quantity has been assigned to 

 them. They measure seven lines and a half in length, by 

 six lines in breadth : they are white, with a few pale red 

 spots, but sometimes without any spots. The young are 

 hatched after about ten days' incubation, during which 

 time the male feeds the female while she remains on the 



