PERCHING BIRDS. 145 



A curious anecdote is told in " Jesse's Gleanings 

 of Natural History," of a water- wagtail, which 

 built her nest in the workshop of a manufactory, 

 within a foot of the wheel of a lathe, in the midst 

 of the din of hammers and workmen. There un- 

 molested, and unconcerned, she hatched four young 

 ones. The cock-bird, not seeming to approve such 

 company, instead of feeding the nestlings himself, 

 as is usual, carried the food he had collected to a 

 certain spot on the roof, where he left it for the 

 mother to convey to her young. It is remarkable 

 that she was quite familiar with the men who 

 regularly worked in the shop, but would instantly 

 quit her nest if a stranger came into the room, or, 

 if away, would not return till he was gone, when 

 she lost no time in resuming her place. 



In the family of WRENS we may include the red- 

 breast, the common wren, and the golden and fire- 

 crested wrens. It is not a little remarkable that 

 there is more similarity between the common 

 wren and the redbreast, than between it and the 

 birds commonly called wrens. So much so, indeed, 

 that the popular opinion (which in these cases is 

 usually founded upon observation,) has, time out 

 of mind, associated robin redbreast and kitty wren 

 as husband and wife. 



The REDBREAST is, however, more really a 



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