WINTER WREN. 433 
sion of its strong feet, aided by the action of its half drooping concave 
wings, jerks itself forward, keeping its tail elevated all the while. 
Now through a hollow log it passes like a mouse, now it clings to the 
surface in various attitudes, suddenly disappears, but presently shews 
itself by your side ; at times it chirrups in a querulous rolling tone, then 
emits single clear sharp chirps resembling the syllables ¢shich, tshick, 
and again remains silent for a time. It will now and then reach the 
upper branches of a small tree or a bush, by hopping and leaping 
from twig to twig ; in the course of this transit it will present its op- 
posite sides to you a score of times; and when at length it has gained 
the summit, it will salute you with its delicate melody, and then dash 
headlong and be out of sight ina moment. This is almost constantly 
observed during the spring season, when more than ever its alertness 
is displayed. On all such occasions however, whilst in the act of sing- 
ing, its tail is seen to be depressed. In winter, when it takes posses- 
sion of the wood-pile, close to the husbandman’s dwelling, it will chal- 
lenge the cat in querulous tones, and peeping out here and there, as 
it frisks in security, wear out Grimalkin’s patience. 
The food of the Winter Wren consists chiefly of spiders, caterpil- 
lars, and small moths, as well as larve. Towards autumn it eats small 
juicy berries. 
Having lately spent a winter, at Charleston in South Carolina, 
with my worthy friend Jonn Bacuman, I observed that this little 
Wren made its appearance in that city and its suburbs in December. 
On the 1st January I heard it in full song in the garden of my friend, 
who informed me that in that State it does not appear regularly every 
winter, but is sure to be found during very cold weather. 
With the view of enabling you to compare the habits of our Winter 
Wren and the Common Wren of Europe, the manners of birds being a 
subject on which, as you are well aware, I have always bestowed par- 
ticular attention, I here present you with those of the latter bird, as 
observed in Britain, by my learned friend, Witttam Macci.uivray : 
—“ With us the Wren is not migratory, but is found during winter 
in the most northern parts of the island, as well as in the Hebrides. 
Its flight is effected by a rapid and continuous motion of the wings, and 
therefore is not undulated, but direct ; nor is it usually sustained, for 
the bird merely flits from one bush to another, or from stone to stone. 
It is most frequently met with along stone-walls, among fragments of 
VOL. Iv. Ee 
