9 
“Mr. Halliwell (Nursery Rhymes, ed. 2, p. 248) notices the same practice in the Isle of 
Man, and gives the words there sung; while on February 4th, 1846 (as appears by the ‘ Literary 
Gazette,’ p. 131, of the 7th of that month), Mr. Crofton Croker drew attention to the subject at 
a meeting of the British Archzeological Association, and it was stated that a similar custom 
existed in Pembrokeshire, where on Twelfth day a Wren was carried from house to house in a 
box with glass windows, surmounted by a wheel, to which ribbons were hung. Sonnini (Voyage 
dans la Haute et la Basse Egypte, i. p. 18) mentions a like ceremony practised a century ago, 
towards the end of December, at La Ciotat, near Marseilles; but there the Wren’s murderers 
were armed with swords and pistols, and their victim was slung to a pole, borne, as if it were a 
heavy load, on the shoulders of two men, who paraded the village; and then, after gravely 
weighing it in a great pair of scales, all gave themselves up to festivity.” 
The eggs of this species are pure white, with a faint pinkish tinge when fresh, and are 
sparingly spotted, chiefly at the larger end, with small red spots. In size, specimens in my 
collection from England and Greece measure from 33 by 4% inch to 43 by {9, those from Greece 
being the smallest. The number ef eggs deposited is from seven to eight, but sometimes more ; 
according to Professor Newton as many as twenty have been taken out of one nest. 
The specimen figured, on the upper portion of the Plate, with 7. borealis, was obtained by 
myself in Surrey, this being also the specimen described. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :— 
E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 
a, 8. South Norwood, Surrey, December 26th, 1871 (4. E.D.). 6. Hampstead, May 6th, 1870 (R. B. Sharpe). 
c. Margaard, Denmark, November 26th, 1870 (A. Benzon). d, d. Piedmont, April 8th, 1870 (Count 
Salvadori). e, 5. Macedonia, October 28th, 1869 (Dr. Kriiper). 
E Mus. Lord Walden. 
a, 6. Asia Minor (Robson). 6, ¢. Chemkend, Central Asia (Dode). 
E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 
3,6, 2. Greatham, Durham, March 28rd, 1866 (J. H. Gurney, junr.). ¢. Castle Eden, Durham (#. B. 7.). 
d, 3. Mahr el Kelb, Palestine, November 24th, 1863 (H. B. 7.).  e. Algiers, May 6th, 1856 (1. B. T.). 
iS) 
2 
E Mus. Howard Saunders. 
a, 5. Bafios de Alhama, Spain, December 1870 (H. S.). 6, ¢. Alhambra, Spain, May 1873. 
E Mus. Brit. Reg. 
a. Belgium. 
E Mus. Ind. Calc. 
a, 6. Shores of Caspian, November 1869 (Major St. John). 6, 2. Shiraz, Persia, August 1870 (Major 
St. John). 
4k 
Zan 
