TU()(;h()I)VTlI).K- TliK WKKNS. li^l 



in IjuiMiiii; tlicir lust. TlioiiLili removed t'acli time the veliide was used, tlie 

 pair fur a liuii; whiU' peisisted in tlieir attempts in make use nf tliis place, at 

 liist even depositini^- tlieir e^^irs on tlie l>are 1 nttom of the Itox. It was two 

 or tliree weeks Ix^fore tliev finally desisted from their vain attt'm])ts. 



Sometimes tliis l»ird will build a nest in a lar^e cavity, holdin;^ ])erliaps a 

 Imshel. Iiefore the cup of the nest is comjfleted, the ])irds will generally 

 endeavor to till the entire space with sticks and various other convenient 

 substances. Wher** the entranci; is uiuiccessarilv Iar«je tlu'V will uenerallv 

 contnu't it by buildiuLr abv.ut it a barricade of sticks, leavinjj; only a inall 

 entrance. In the midst of tiiese masses of material thev construct a com- 

 ]y,\rt, cujHshaped, inner nest, hcmis)>herical in sha|»e, composed of finer ma- 

 ti'rial^. and warndy lined with the tur iA' small (piadru]>eds, and with s(»ft 

 feathers. If the eii''s are taken as the feniale is deoositinii- them, she will 

 continue to lay (piite a Ioul:; while. In one instance eighteen were taken, 

 after which the birds were let alone and raised a br»x»d of seven. 



Durini^ the months of May and dune the male is a constant and remark- 

 able siniijer. His smi^ is loud, (dear, and shrill, uiven with Ljreat animati(»n 

 and ra])idity, the ]>erformer evincing i:reat jealousy of any interruption, often 

 leaving off abruptly in the midst of his song to literally " pitch in " ujjon 

 Jiny rival wlio niay presume to compete with him. 



If a cat or an}' unwelcome visitor ap]»roacli the nest, angry vociferations 

 succeed to his sprightly song, and he will swoo}» in rapid flights across the 

 head or back of the intruder, even at the apjuirent risk of his life. 



Where several ])airs occujiy the same gar<len, their contests are freijuent, 

 iioisv, and uenerallv «iuite amusinii. In their H«dits with other birds for the 

 possessirm of a coveted hollow, their skill at barricriding freiiuently enables 

 the AVrens to kee[> triumphant jMjssession against birds much more powerful 

 than themselves. 



Their food is exclusively inst'ctiv(.>r(»us, and of a (dass of destructi\e in- 

 sects that render them great benefactors to the farmer. Mr. Kennicott 

 ascertained that a single ^air of Wrens carried to their voung about a thou- 

 sand insects in a single (h\\. 



The young, when they leave their nest, kee]) togt'ther for some tinu\ mov- 

 ing about, an interesting, sociable, and iictive groujt, under the ( barge (►f their 

 mother, but industrious in su]»]»lying their own wants. 



The eggs of the Wren, usually fi'om seven to nine in number, are of a 

 rounded-oval sha]»e, at times nearly as broad as long. Their ground-color is 

 white, l»ut they are so thickly studded with markings and tine spots of red- 

 dish-brown, with a few occasional points of pur)»lish-slate, as to conceal their 

 ground. Their shaj»e varies from nearly spherical to an oblong-oval, .some 

 measuring .<>() by ..").") of an inch, others with the same breadth having a 

 length of .()7 of an inch. 



Under the name of T/f)f/h>t/f/fis mnrrirfttii's. or Wood Wren. Air. Audubon 

 figured and described as a distinct .species what is imtbably only a somewhat 



