THE COMMON WREN. 349 



are composed of the nestlings of the previous year, with perhaps 

 the parent birds; but I have no proof of the fact beyond its 

 probability. If such be the case, however, it would show that 

 the bond of social union between the parent birds and their young 

 continues unbroken during the year, and is severed only when the 

 new season prompts the youug brood to become parents in 

 their turn." 



On the yard- wall before my window in the country a wren once 

 appeared, on the 23rd of September, singing with such extraor- 

 dinary loudness, as immediately to attract other birds to the spot. 

 First came a hedge-sparrow to buffet it, followed by a male and 

 female chaffinch, also with sinister intent ; but bold as Fitz James, 



" Come one, come all, this wall shall fly 

 From its firm base as soon as I," 



it maintained its position against them all, and sang away as 

 fiercely as ever, its wings and tail drooping all the time. A robin 

 too alighted beside the songster, but, unlike the others, did not 

 seek to disturb it. For this strange proceeding on the part of 

 the wren there was no apparent cause. The uproar this species 

 keeps by the loud utterance and repetition of its call chit,* when 

 a cat appears in its vicinity is well known, and is of service to 

 other birds by warning them of the presence of their enemy. 



Smith, in his History of Cork, written about a century ago, 

 remarks, — "as the wren makes but' short flights, and when driven 

 from the hedges is easily run down, to hunt and kill him is an 

 ancient custom of the Irish on St. Stephen's day." Mr. E. Ball 

 considers that " this persecution of the bird in the south is falling 

 into disuse, like other superstitious ceremonies." t " To hunt the 

 wren is a favourite pastime of the peasantry of Kerry, on Christ- 

 mas day. This they do, each using two sticks, one to beat the 

 bushes, the other to fling at the bird. It was the boast of an old 



* Hence popularly called ' chitty wren ' in Ireland. Jenny wren is another 

 popular name. 



t This gentleman remarks, that the hedge-sparrow ( Accentor modularis) is called 

 wrerC s-man in the south of Ireland, and that it often falls a sacrifice to the hunters 

 of the wren. 



