The Audubon Societies 



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continued going up and down the ladder to feed her little brood until we took 

 the ladder down at night, so the cats would not get to the nest. We put the 

 ladder up every morning and took it down at night, and Mother Wren con- 

 tinued to go up and down to feed her little ones until they, were able to fly. 

 She never was able to fly except very short distances, but taught her little 

 ones by coaxing them out of the nest, then flying to the top of the box and 

 coaxing them there, then to the tree near. Her faithfulness to her little brood 

 was a most touching sight, and one long to be remembered. The father never 

 returned and it is to be presumed that he was killed when the mother was 

 injured. While the mother was sitting, the father would often stay on a brush- 

 heap near the house, and sing for nearly an hour. We could talk to him and he 

 would answer, but if we even looked toward the nest he would scold as fast as 

 he could. I felt sorry to have them go away, but hope they had no more 

 mishaps. — Harriet Anna Carpenter, Ramsey, New Jersey. 



[This interesting observation is now and then duplicated in other species. Accounts 

 of the Baltimore Oriole and Towhee, which have been disabled by a broken limb but 

 which have persevered in caring for their young, have been printed in recent issues of 

 Bird-Lore. Had the food-habits of the Wren been better understood, it might have 

 been possible to assist the mother in finding suitable insect diet for the nestings. Grass- 

 hoppers, beetles, caterpillars, bugs and spiders are all relished by Wrens. A single brood 

 of House Wrens has been observed to dispose of about 1,000 insects in a single day, 

 which suggests the highly beneficial character of this species. — A. H. W.] 



KINGBIRD AT NEST 

 Nest removed for convenience in photographing 

 Photographed by Guy A. Bailey, Genesee, N. Y. 



