The Spirit of King Arthur 149 



talking, amongst the litter of fallen rocks at the foot of the 

 cliff, when a little Wren suddenly appeared, and, amidst the 

 cheerless surroundings, poured out a merry stave of song. 

 Both here and elsewhere I have often had a similar experi- 

 ence, for it is astonishing to what unlikely, and apparently 

 inhospitable regions, a Wren will frequently find its way. 

 But the appearance of this particular bird upon Cader Idris 

 called forth from Mr Jones the interesting remark : " We 

 call him the spirit of King Arthur here, and you cannot stay 

 for half an hour anywhere on the mountain but he will 

 appear to you." The German name of Schneektinig (Snow 

 King) may perhaps have been bestowed upon the Wren 

 from this same habit of turning up in unexpected places, 

 even when the ground is under snow. 



The common name of the Wren, in Wales, is Dryw, or 

 Dryw bach (little wren), no doubt derived from the Celtic 

 drai^ from which we have the Irish drean (easily leading up 

 to " wren "), meaning either a Druid, or a " Druid's bird," 

 or " a bird that makes predictions." In any case, its associa- 

 tion with the Druid bespeaks at least a sort of semi-royal 

 state. 



It is almost superfluous to allude to the well-known fact 

 that, while some kinds of birds bathe in water, others prefer 

 a dust-bath, while some may indulge in both. I do not 

 remember, however, ever having seen any allusion in print 

 to the fact that the Wren is one of those which delight in 

 dust, although it also bathes in water. I once had a very 

 good opportunity of observing this. There was a veranda 

 outside my room window, containing some flower-pots, one 

 of which was filled with dry earth, while all outside had 

 been soaked with rain for weeks. To that dry pot there 

 came a little Wren regularly every morning, while the wet 

 weather lasted ; and after a good roll and shuffle in the dust, 

 it would sometimes sit for a minute or two on the rim of 

 the pot, which was a large one, and preen its feathers. This 

 dust-bath was taken with as much vigour, and apparent 

 enjoyment, as one is accustomed to see displayed by 

 the sparrows disporting themselves on a newly levelled 

 seed bed. 



