ARRIVAL OF WILLOW-WREN 33 



above, calling to their mates ; one or two dropped 

 with lightning-like rapidity, when near their nests, 

 just skimming by and rising again with outspread 

 wings. One or two of more dishonest tendencies, 

 were seen quietly appropriating sticks and material 

 from their neighbours' nests in the absence of the 

 owners, while on a few of the nests ^a sitting bird 

 could be seen.. 



High up above the meadows a Sky- Lark was wel- 

 coming the rising sun with his matin song, while 

 in the wood, Blackbirds and Thrushes were singing 

 from the tree-tops and bushes. A little brown Wren 

 was running along a fallen tree, but stopped just 

 to join in the morning chorus, bowing meanwhile, 

 with his little tail -bobbing up and .down between 

 the notes. Afterwards he looked in all the nooks 

 and crannies as if for a "make-believe " that he was 

 very busy. There was the tree under which the 

 Willow- Wren is wont to build its nest;: and the 

 spot was lonely without its cheery song to send its 

 echoes through the wood. It was here also that 

 we nearly always heard its music in -company with 

 the Chiffchaff on or about the last day of March. 

 Last spring it rained hard on the day we first 

 heard this welcome Warbler, but notwithstanding 

 we visited the wood for the purpose of finding out 

 whether any Willow-Wrens had arrived. Soon 



4 



