WREN. 177 



eggs, and afterwards both parents are most assiduous in 

 supplying their numerous offspring with insects in their 

 various states and worms. In reference to the depth of 

 the nest, and the number of young ones by which it is 

 sometimes occupied, for it is said that as many as sixteen 

 have been found in one nest, a remark by Willughby has 

 been thus paraphrased by Grahame in his poem on the birds 

 of Scotland: 



" But now behold the greatest of this train 

 Of miracles, stupendously minute ; 

 The numerous progeny, claimant for food 

 Supplied by two small bills, and feeble wings 

 Of narrow range ; supplied ay, duly fed 

 Fed in the dark, and yet not one forgot ! " 



The Wren produces two broods in the season. 



This little bird is generally dispersed over England ; and 

 Mr. Thompson informs me that it is common throughout 

 Ireland ; it is also found in Scotland, in Orkney, and in 

 Shetland. M. Nilsson says it is resident in Sweden ; and 

 it is by the Fabers considered as an inhabitant of the Faroe 

 Islands, of Iceland, and of Greenland. It is even more 

 abundant in the northern than in the central parts of 

 Europe. It is, however, resident in Spain and Italy all 

 the year, and is found in Corfu, Sicily, and Crete. Mr. 

 H. E. Strickland says it is common at Smyrna ; and the 

 Zoological Society have received specimens from Trebi- 

 zond. 



Mr. Thompson, in his notices on the Birds of Ireland, 

 thus refers to an annual custom still practised against the 

 poor little harmless Wren in the south of Ireland. " Smith, 

 in his History of Cork, written about a century ago, re- 

 marks, as the Wren makes but short flights, and when 

 driven from the hedges is easily run down, to hunt and kill 

 him is an ancient custom of the Irish on St. Stephen's day." 



VOL. n. N 



