The Friendly House Wrens 



137 



1885, and entirely disappeared in 1887, in the vicinity of Bangor; and Mr. 

 Forbush, in "Useful Birds," says that, "while they once abounded, they are 

 no longer a regular summer resident over the greater part of Massachusetts." 

 They cannot always be induced to build in the boxes that we put up for 

 them, but will sometimes select the queerest sort of places, and may even 

 intrude with their friendliness, as witness the pair that tried to build in the 

 fish creel of a friend, who, returning from trout-fishing, had hung his basket 

 on the side of the house to dry. A pair insisted on building in the family pump 



"WOULD STOP FOR A MOMENT ON THE TOP OF THE COAT" 



and a sprinkling of sticks floated out with each pail of water, till the Wrens 

 became tired of the constant tearing-down of their nest, and sought a new 

 site, while a more fortunate pair built in a small watering-pot hung beside 

 the kitchen door, a new sprinkling-pot being bought for the flowers. Another 

 pair interfered with the United States mail by building in a rural-delivery 

 mail-box, going in by the opening for letters. No complaint was ever made 

 to the authorities at Washington, but the carrier and the family took extra 

 steps each day, that the Wrens might complete their housekeeping. Strange 

 indeed was the fancy of a pair which built high in an elm tree in a swaying 

 last year's Oriole's nest. 



