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depraved after that, or aver that music hath no charms to 

 soothe the savage breast? Melody awakened humanity, and 

 humanity mercy; the angels who sang at the creation whispered 

 to the child's heart. The bird was saved, and God was glorified 

 by the deed. Dear little boys! don't stone the birds.' 



The Wren is found in Europe as far north as Sweden, the 

 Ferroe Islands, Iceland, and 'Greenland's icy mountains,' as 

 also in the other direction in Spain and Italy. 



In Asia it has also been noticed, namely, in Asia Minor, 

 by my friend Mr. Hugh E. Strickland. 



In England it is a universal favourite, and plentiful in most 

 districts. In Yorkshire it is said to be less common near 

 Halifax than in other parts. It is known likewise throughout 

 Ireland, Scotland, Shetland, and most parts of Orkney. 



It remains with us throughout the year, braving the rigour 

 of the northern winter, and generally without harm; in severe 

 seasons, however, if the snow be deep on the ground, not a 

 few perish. 



The Wren is one of our best known and most familiar birds, 

 frequenting not only lanes and hedges, but gardens close to 

 houses, and sheltering itself in the neighbouring and often 

 ivy-clad outbuildings, several at times roosting together, and 

 frequently in the old nest, for warmth's sake, in such places 

 or among heaps of stones, or the hollows in the roots of old 

 and decayed trees, in the cold and frosty winter nights. They 

 make, says William Ogilby, Esq., a prodigious chattering and 

 bustle before finally settling down for the night, as if contending 

 which shall get into the warmest and most comfortable place, 

 and frequently come to the mouth of the hole to see that 

 they are unobserved. They may be the family of the preceding 

 year, and if so it would shew that the bond of social union 

 continues unbroken till the following spring. 



They often suffer a near approach, but nevertheless are easily 

 alarmed, and then quickly steal back into the concealment 

 which is most congenial to them, or fly away to some short 

 distance, and then again seek the friendly shelter of the hedge 

 or bush, and retire into their pristine obscurity. These birds 

 may be kept in confinement. They too shew anxiety about 

 their young, and the Rev. W. D. Fox communicated to Mr. 

 Hewitson an account of one which would suffer its nest to be 

 taken in the hand and examined, remaining the while quietly 

 seated on its eggs. C. Conway, Esq. writes in the 'Magazine 

 of Natural History,' volume viiL page 547, of one to which 



