68 



NEST AND EGGS OF THE BROWN WREN. 



PLATE LXVIII. 



The Wren builds her nest beside hollow ways, where 

 the earth overhangs, or against the side of some mossy- 

 wall or rock, where it is thickly shadowed above. The 

 nest is of an oval shape, smallest at the upper end, and 

 an hole is left in the side, for the bird to go in and out. 

 The specimen which lies before me, is composed 

 chiefly of green moss, having on the outside several 

 dried leaves and branches of fern, tied with blades 

 of grass ; within this coat is another made of wool and 

 fine soft moss; and, within that, the lining, which con- 

 sists of wool and feathers. The eggs are of a roundish 

 figure ; white, and spotted, near the big end, with 

 small red spots. 



A strange thought entered into the head of an Eng- 

 lish ornithologist, concerning the nest of this bird. 

 He says, " It is strange to admiration, that so small a 

 " bird should cover so great a number of eggs ; and 

 " more strange, that it should feed such a company of 

 " young and not miss one, and that in the dark too." 

 A more modern English writer says, " and that too in 

 " utter darkness." I believe I ought not to have said 

 a strange thought, but a strange want of thought. Any 

 one who thinks about it, and compares the dimensions 

 of the window, with the dimensions of the house 

 within, will instantly perceive, that a Wren's nest is 

 more strongly lighted than any gentleman's palace in 

 the kingdom. 



