THE WREN. 99 



that it was only discovered by means of the bird 

 flying out of it. He adds, some of the straws 

 were so thick, that one wonders how so small 

 a bird could have used them. Mr. Yarrell ob- 

 serves of this, that in such cases the wren was 

 in some measure influenced by the proximity of 

 materials; but several instances are recorded by 

 naturalists, in whicli design is so marked, that we 

 hardly know whether to call it instinct or reason. 



" I was much pleased this day, June 14th," says 

 Mr. Knapp, " by detecting the stratagems of a com- 

 mon wren to conceal its nest from observation. 

 It had formed a liollow space in the thatch, on the 

 inside of my cow-shed, in which it had placed its 

 nest by the side of a rafter, and finished it with its 

 usual neatness ; but lest the orifice of its cell should 

 engage attention, it had negligently hung a rag- 

 ged piece of moss on the straw-work, concealing 

 the entrance, and apparently proceeding from the 

 rafter; and so perfect was the deception, that I 

 should not have noticed it, though tolerably obser- 

 vant of such things, had not the bird betrayed her 

 secret and darted out. Now from what operative 

 cause did this stratagem proceed? Habit it was not; 

 it seemed like an after-thought ; danger was per- 



