THE COMMON WREN. 333 



will continue his notes till the snow drives him into some 

 hiding-place. 



Considering the diminutive size of the wren, its song is 

 loud, and it is clear and very sweetly modulated; so that, 

 upon first hearing it, one has some scepticism of its being the 

 song of so tiny a musician. It is more clear and heard far- 

 ther than the song of the redbreast, though that too is a 

 peculiarly agreeable one, as the young birds come to the 

 vicinity of houses, and renew it as early as they are in full 

 plumage, which is about the middle or towards the end of 

 September. The song of the wren is not so continuous, but 

 in peculiarly favourable situations and weathers it may be 

 heard as early as Christmas, or earlier. It is, however, liable 

 to be again interrupted, more especially in those middle 

 latitudes of Britain, where, in the inland places, heavy falls 

 of snow often occur after the new year, and remain till the 

 end of March. There is reason to believe that, owing to 

 culture, drainage, and planting, those falls will not hereafter 

 be so frequent as they have been ; but there are remembered 

 instances in which the wren sang in the early part of January, 

 and not again till the middle of April ; though, in ordinary 

 seasons, the birds pair in February, and begin their nests in 

 March. 



The nest is constructed with much care and neatness, but 

 varied in its materials, and also a little in its form, with the 

 place. Moss, lichen, or withered grass, is the external mate- 

 rial, intermixed with wool, if the place afford it. The lining 

 is hair or feathers, according as the one or the other is most 

 easily procured. The nest generally has a dome-covering, 

 formed by the birds; but if there is a natural one, they avail 

 themselves of it, and under the lower branches of "back- 

 going Scotch firs," which are generally rough and hoary with 

 lichen, the nest may be found, constructed of moss, with a 

 lichen roof. The entrance is always at the side, and the 



