2i6 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



THE WRENS (Family Troglodytid^) 



According to some the big group of Warblers is another sub- 

 family of the Turdidae. In any case they lead us directly into the 

 family of the Wrens. These are almost all very small birds, but 

 over one hundred species are known. 



THE COMMON WREN 



The pretty little Wren is almost the least of all our British 

 birds, for only the gold -crest is smaller. What dweller in the 

 country is not familiar with it.'' As you walk along the lanes, you 

 may see it flitting in and out of the hedge beside you, never flying 

 very far off, and often allowing you to approach very closely to it. 

 You may often hear its shrill little cry, and sometimes, no doubt, 

 you have listened to its song. 



The wren builds in a bank or in the hole of a tree, or among 

 the ivy on a wall. The nest seems very big for the size of the 

 bird, but then the wren brings up quite a large family, and may 

 soon be the mother of eight or ten little ones, and possibly even 

 more. And when all these little birds begin to grow, they will 

 want a large nursery to live in. 



Everyone who has seen a wren's nest must agree that it is a 

 very wonderful piece of work. It is remarkable that a little bird, 

 with only its beak to help it, can weave the walls so closely, and 

 that it should be able to line the inside so warmly with moss 

 and feathers. 



The wren always covers the outside of its nest with dried 

 leaves, moss and fungus, and bits of twig, and makes its home 

 match so well with the surrounding objects that one might almost 

 look straight at it and yet never see that it is a nest. 



This is an instinctive and skilful precaution which the wren 

 always takes. It seems to know that it has many enemies ready 

 to destroy its home, and so it covers it very carefully with the same 

 objects with which it is surrounded. 



