138 WEEN. 



bunch very little larger than the nest itself. The door of 

 this house was generally kept locked, the only mode of entrance 

 at such times being beneath it, where there was barely room 

 for the birds to pass through: in all these instances the 

 broods were reared in safety. He also mentions the circum- 

 stance of a Wren having been detected in the act of purloining 

 materials from a Thrush's nest, which was built in a bush 

 adjoining its own tenement, then in course of erection, the 

 thefts being committed during the temporary absence of the 

 owner in search of food for its young. Mr. R. Davis, Jun., 

 of Clonmel, also communicated to him the curious fact of a 

 family of young Wrens, which having left their own nest, 

 and being probably in want of shelter, took possession of that 

 of a Spotted Flycatcher, having apparently broken or thrown 

 out all the eggs but one. Other situations for nests are the 

 tops of honeysuckle and raspberry bushes, in the latter case the 

 nest being made of the leaves of the tree; in fir trees, trellis- 

 work, granaries, the branches of wall-fruit trees, and lofts, 

 use being made occasionally of the holes previously tenanted 

 by Sparrows and Starlings. One has been known built 

 withinside that of a Swallow, and another in the old nest 

 of a Thrush; one, again, in the newly-finished nest of a 

 Martin, another on a branch of a yew tree among the foliage, 

 and another in one of the hatches in the river at Winchester. 

 Mr. Jesse relates a curious anecdote of a Wren's nest, the 

 owner of which being disturbed by some children watching 

 it, blocked up the original entrance, and opened out a new 

 one on the other side. 



Ten days or a fortnight are occupied in the construction 

 of the tenement, a few small steins of grass supported on the 

 rugged bark or any rough part of the tree, if placed against 

 one, indicating its commencement, and this is subsequently 

 built on to, till all is completed. I have been favoured with 

 specimens by W, Bobson, Esq., of Pier Head, London, and 

 W. Bridger, Esq., and a drawing of one by the Eev. R. P. 

 Alington. 



In the eighth volume of the 'Magazine of Natural History,' 

 a correspondent narrates that in watching a pair of Wrens 

 building their nest, he noticed that one confined itself entirely 

 to the construction thereof, which it never left for a moment, 

 whilst the other was as incessantly passing and re-passing 

 with materials for the structure. These materials, however, 

 this helper never once attempted to put into their places; 



