

WREN. 171 



with white moss, it is made of that material ; and with 

 green moss if against a tree covered with the same, or in a 

 bank. Thus instinct directs it for security." Mr. Jesse 

 mentions in his Gleanings, " that he has a Wren's nest in 

 his possession, built amongst some litter thrown into a 

 yard. It so nearly resembled the surrounding objects, that 

 it was only discovered by the birds flying out of it. Some 

 of the straws of which it is composed are so thick, that one 

 wonders how so small a bird could have used them. 11 

 Without wishing to detract from the character of the 

 Wren for intelligence, I cannot, however, but believe that 

 the proximity of materials may frequently influence the 

 choice of situation and substance. In the eighth volume of 

 the Magazine of Natural History, a correspondent says, in 

 watching a pair of Wrens building their nest in an old road, 

 I noticed that one confined itself entirely to the construc- 

 tion of the nest, which it never left for a moment ; whilst 

 the other was as incessantly passing and repassing with 

 materials for the structure. These materials, however, this 

 helper never once attempted to put into their places ; they 

 were always regularly delivered to the grand architect that 

 was employed in constructing the building. 



The nest is large, in reference to the small size of the 

 bird, generally oval in shape, domed over the top, with a 

 small hole at one end or on the side ; the lining is mostly 

 composed of feathers. The eggs are usually from seven to 

 ten in number, but a larger quantity has been assigned to 

 them. They measure seven lines and a half in length, 

 by six lines in breadth : they are white, with a few pale 

 red spots, but sometimes without any spots. The young 

 are hatched after about ten day's incubation, during which 

 time the male feeds the female while she remains on the 

 eggs, and afterwards both parents are most assiduous in sup- 



