18 INTRODUCTION. 



Mark the design their nests among, — 

 Observe the wonders of their song, — 

 ■ Their habits, their intelligence, — 

 And say not, Man alone has sense, 

 But, See the steps of Providence! 



The Wren's nest is globular, and very often made of green 

 moss, both vvithin and without ; it lias a small hole on the side 

 of it, just large enough to admit the bird. It is generally affixed 

 to some tree, and behind it, at a few feet from the ground, so 

 as not to be immediately in sight. The wren seems very partial 

 to trees having ivy growing about them, most probably as, by 

 its leaves, the nest is more effectually concealed. It does not 

 seem to prefer any particular tree : the nest will be found very 

 often attached to the elm or the ash; sometimes against an 

 ivied wall, sometimes in the thatch of a house, and sometimes 

 in a hay-rick. In such cases the materials of the nest will often 

 also be varied. See more relative to the Wren in the note 

 attached to the Redbreast's Song\ 



The Long- tailed Titmouse makes a nest similar in shape to the 

 wren's, but considerably larger in external appearance: it by 

 no means looks so neat as the wren's; its exterior is composed 

 of dead leaves, interspersed with white moss, &c. Interiorly 

 it is, however, much more curious than the wren's, being almost 

 full of small,^ soft, and generally white feathers. It is rarely, if 

 ever, appended, like the wren's, to trees; its usual site is in a 

 hedge, on some bush, either of the thorn or wild plum, a few 

 feet only from the ground. 



The nest of the Thrush is exteriorly composed of green or 

 other moss, and a few straws; interiorly it is plastered all over 

 witk some paste, apparently composed of rotten wood, with 

 something to cement it; it is generally of a light buff colour. 

 When dry it is quite hard, so that the eggs, if moved, rattle in 

 the nest. The statement, in many of our books of natural his- 

 tory, that it is lined with cktyj is, as far as my experience goes, 



