Tl!()(il,()I»VTll).K- TlIK WUKNS. l."»l 



in l)iiil(liii,i; tlu'ir nest. T1i(H1l;1i removed ciK'h tiiue tiie vcliicle was ii.sed, the 

 pair I'ur ii luiii; wliih; pursisted in tlieir Hlleiiiiils lo make nse nl' tliis place, at 

 last oven depositin>f tlieir e<j;<>'.s on the hare liottom of the l)ox. It was two 

 or three weeks hefore they (iiially desisted I'rum their vain attempts. 



Sometimes tiiis hird will build a nest in a lar^e cavity, Iioldinj,' ])erhai)s a 

 Itnshel. Uet'ore the euj) of the nest is completed, the birds will generally 

 endeavor lo lill tiie entire sjiace with sticks and vari(ais other convenient 

 substances. Where tiie entiancis is niMiecd.ssarily large they will generally 

 contract it by building abiait it a barricade oi' sticks, leaving only a small 

 entrance, in the midst ol' tiiese ma.sses ol' material they construct a eom- 

 piict, cui)-slia]ied, inner nest, lieniis|)lierical in sliape, composed of tiner ma- 

 terials and warndy lined with the Inr of >u\n]\ (piadru])e(ls, and witii soft 

 feathers. If tiie eggs are taken as the female is dejiositing tlieni, slie will 

 continue to lay <|uite a, long while. In one instance eighteen were taken, 

 after wliieh tiie, liirds were let alone and raised a brood of seven. 



During the months of May ami dune the male is a constant and remark- 

 able singer. His song is Imid, clear, and shrill, given with great animation 

 and vajiidity, tlie iierformer evincing great jeahiusy of any interruiition, often 

 leaving off aliruptly in the midst of liis song to literally " ])itcli in" u]ion 

 any rival who niay presunu! to c<impete witli him. 



If a cat or any unwelcome visitor apiiroiich the nest, angry vociferations 

 suceeed to his spriglilly song, and he will swoop in raiiid Higiits across the 

 head or back of the intruder, even at the apparent risk of his life. 



Where several pairs occupy tiie nnw garden, their contests are frei|Uent, 

 noi.sy, and generally iniite amuMiig. In their iigiits with other liirds for the 

 possession of a coveted hollow, their skill at barricading treipieiitly eiialiles 

 the AVreiis to keep triiimiphanl ]i()ssessiiiii against birds niucli more ])oweiful 

 than them.'^elves. 



Their food is exclusively iiisecti\i)i(ais, and of a (dass of destriictne in- 

 sects that render them great iieiietactors to the iiirmer. Mr. Ki^nnieott 

 ascertained that a singli; ,,air of Wrens carried to their young aliout a thou- 

 sand in.si'cts in a single day. 



The young, when they leave their nest, keep together for some time, mov- 

 ing about, an interesting, suciable, and active grouji, under tlii^ charge of their 

 mother, but industriniis in supplying their own wants. 



The eggs of the Wren, usually from seven to niiu^ in iimnber, are ol' a 

 rounded-oval shape, at times nearly as broad as long. Their ground-cnlur is 

 white, but they are ,s(i thickly stiidde(l with markings and line spdts n[' red- 

 dish-bniwii, with a few occasidiial jMiints nf ])iii|ilisli-slate, as to conceal their 

 ground. Tlieir sliapi! varies fnnn nearly spherical to an oblong-oval, smue 

 measuring .(>(• bv .'>'> nf an inch, others with the same breadth lia\ ing a 

 length of .()" of an inch, 



I'mler the name of Trniilniliilis iiiiiirifiiini-'<, or Wood Wren, Mr. Aiidubiin 

 figured ami descrilied a.s a distinct species wiiat is pndialily only a somewhat 



