428 HOUSE WREN. 



Its flight is short, generally low, and performed by a constant tremor 

 of the wings, without any jerks of either the body or tail, although the 

 latter is generally seen erect, unless when the bird is singing, when it is 

 always depressed. When passing from one place to another, during the 

 love-season, or whilst its mate is sitting, this sweet little bird flutters still 

 more slowly through the air, singing all the while. It is sprightly, active, 

 vigilant, and courageous. It delights in being near and about the gardens, 

 orchards, and the habitations of man, and is frequently found in abun- 

 dance in the very centre of our eastern cities, where many little boxes are 

 put up against the walls of houses, or the trunks of trees, for its accom- 

 modation, as is also done in the country. In these it nestles and rears 

 its young. It is seldom, however, at a loss for a breeding place, it being 

 satisfied with any crevice or hole in the walls, the sill of a window, the 

 eaves, the stable, the barn, or the upper side of a piece of timber, under 

 the roof of a piazza. Now and then, its nest may be seen in the hollow 

 branch of an apple tree. I knew of one in the pocket of an old broken- 

 down carriage, and many in such an old hat as you see represented in the 

 plate, which, if not already before you, I hope you wiU procure, and 

 look at the little creatures anxiously peeping out or hanging to the side 

 of the hat, to meet their mother, which has just arrived with a spider, 

 whilst the male is on the lookout, ready to interpose should any intruder 

 come near. The same nest is often resorted to for several successive 

 years, merely receiving a little mending. 



The familiarity of the House Wren is extremely pleasing. In Penn- 

 sylvania a pair of these birds had formed a nest, and the female was sit- 

 ting in a hole of the wall, within a few inches of my (Uterally so-called) 

 drawing-room. The male was continually singing within a few feet of 

 my wife and myself, whilst I was engaged in portraying birds of other 

 species. When the window was open, its company was extremely agree- 

 able, as was its little song, which continually reminded us of its happy 

 life. It would now and then dive into the garden at the foot of the win- 

 dow, procure food for its mate, return and creep into the hole where it 

 had its nest, and be off again in a moment. Having procured some flies 

 and spiders, I now and then threw some of them towards him, when he 

 would seize them with great alacrity, eat some himself, and carry the rest 

 to his mate. In this manner, it became daily more acquainted with us, 

 entered the room, and once or twice sang whilst there. One morning I 

 took it in to draw its portrait, and suddenly closing the window, easily 



