336 HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



There is wisdom as well as kindness in providing a home for the 

 House Wren, for it is one of the insect-eating birds, and when it 

 is thus suited with a house, it remains near the spot, to the 

 manifest advantage of the herbs and fruit. 



Of this little bird Wilson gives an interesting anecdote. " A 

 box fixed up in the window of the room where I slept was taken 

 possession of by a pair of "Wrens. Already the nest was built 

 and two eggs laid, when one day, the window being open, as well 

 as the room door, the female Wren, venturing too far into the 

 room to reconnoitre, was sprung upon by giimalkin, who had 

 planted herseK there for the purpose, and before relief could be 

 given, was destroyed. Curious to see how the survivor would 

 demean himself, I watched him carefully for several days. 



"At first he sang with great vivacity for an hour or so, but 

 becoming weary, went ofif for half an hour ; on his return he 

 chanted again as before, went to the top of the house, stable, and 

 weeping-wiUow, that she might hear him. But, seeing no ap- 

 pearance of her, he returned once more, visited the nest, ventured 

 cautiously into the window, and gazed about with suspicious 

 looks, his voice sinking to a low, melancholy note as he stretched 

 his little neck about in every direction. Eeturning to the box, 

 he seemed for some minutes at a loss what to do, and soon after 

 went off as I thought altogether, for I saw him no more that 

 day. 



" Towards the afternoon of the second day, he again made his 

 appearance, accompanied by a new female, who seemed exceed- 

 ingly timorous and shy, and who, after great hesitation, entered 

 the box ; at this moment the little widower or bridegroom seemed 

 as if he would warble out his very life with ecstasy of joy. 

 After remaining about half a minute in, they both flew ofT, but 

 returned in a few minutes, and instantly began to carry out the 

 eggs, feathers, and some of the sticks, supplying the place of the 

 latter with materials of the same sort ; and ultimately they suc- 

 ceeded in raising a brood of seven young, aU of which escaped 

 in safety." 



In this little narrative there are two curious points to be 

 noticed, the one that the eggs already laid were turned out, and 

 the other that the new mistress of the house, with a natural 

 jealousy of her predecessor, re-arranged the interior, so as to suit 

 her own ideas of good taste. 



