354 THE TAILOR-BIRD. 



found in branches, hedges, hayricks, waterspouts, hollow trees, barns, 

 and outhouses. Sometimes the Wren becomes absolutely eccentric in 

 its choice, and builds its nest in spots which no one would conjecture 

 that a bird would select. A Wren has been known to make its nest in 

 the body of a dead hawk which had been killed and nailed to the side 

 of a barn. Another Wren chose to make her house in the throat of 

 a dead calf which had been hung upon a tree, and another of these 

 curious little birds was seen to build in the interior of a pump, gaining 

 access to her eggs and young through the spout. 



The eggs of the Wren are very small, and are generally from six to 

 eight in number. 



During the winter the Wren generally shelters itself from the weather 

 in the same nest which it had inhabited" during the breeding season, 

 and in very cold seasons it is not an uncommon event to find six or 

 seven Wrens all huddled into a heap for the sake of warmth, and pre- 

 senting to the eye or hand of the spectator nothing but a shapeless 

 mass of soft brown feathers. It is probable that these little gatherings 

 may be composed of members of the same family. 



The color of the Wren is a rich reddish brown, paling considerably 

 on the under surface of the body, and darkening into dusky brown 

 upon the quill feathers of the wings and tail. The outer webs of the 

 former are sprinkled with reddish-brown spots, and the short tail 

 feathers are barred with the same hue. The bill is slender, and rather 

 long in proportion to the general dimensions of the bird. The total 

 length of the Wren is rather more than four inches. White and pied 

 varieties are not uncommon. 



We now arrive at the very large family of the Warblers. 



The first example of the Warblers is the celebrated Tailor-bird of 

 India and the Indian Archipelago. 



The Tailor-bird is a sober little creature, not more conspicuous than 

 a common sparrow, and is chiefly remarkable for its curious nest, 

 which is made in a singular and most ingenious manner. Taking two 

 leaves at the extremity of a slender twig, the bird literally sews them 

 together at their edges, its bill taking the place of the needle and veg- 

 etable fibres constituting the thread. A quantity of soft cottony down 

 is then pushed between the leaves, and a convenient hollow scraped 

 out in which the eggs may lie and the young birds may rest at their 

 ease. Sometimes, if the leaf be large enough, its two edges are drawn 

 together, but in general a pair of leaves is needed. A few feathers are 

 sometimes mixed with the down. 



This curious nest is evidently hung at the very extremity of the twigs 

 in order to keep it out of the way of the monkeys, snakes, and other 

 enemies which might otherwise attack and devour mother and young 

 toyrether. 



