HOUSE WREN. 89 
watched him carefully for several days. At first he sung with great 
vivacity for an hour or so, but, becoming uneasy, went off for half an 
hour; on his return, he chanted again as betore, went to the top of the 
house, stable, and weeping-willow, that she might hear him; but, 
seeing no appearance of her, he returned once more, visited the nest, 
ventured cautiously into the window, gazed about with suspicious 
looks, his voice sinking to a low, melancholy note, as he stretched his 
little neck about in every direction. Returning 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, accom- 
panied with a new female, who seemed exceedingly 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. Afler remaining about half a minute in, 
they both flew off, 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 two latter with materials of the same sort, and ultimately 
succeeded in raising a brood of seven young, all of which escaped in 
safety. 
The immense number of insects which this sociable little bird 
removes from the garden and fruit-trees, ought to endear him to every 
cultivator, even if he had nothing else to recommend him; but his 
notes, loud, sprightly, tremulous, and repeated every few seconds 
with great animation, are extremely agreeable. In the heat of sum- 
mer, families in the country often dine under the piazza adjoining 
green canopies of mantling grape vines, gourds, é&c., while overhead 
the trilling vivacity of the Wren, mingled with the warbling mimicry 
of the Mocking Bird, and the distant, softened sounds of numerous 
other songsters, that we shall hereafter introduce to the reader’s 
acquaintance, form a soul-soothing and almost heavenly music, 
breathing peace, innocence, and rural repose. The European who 
judges of the song of this species by that of his own Wren, (™. trog- 
lodytes,) will do injustice to the former, as, in strength of tone and 
execution, it is far superior, as well as the bird is in size, figure, and 
elegance of markings, to the Kuropean one. Its manners are also 
different; its sociability greater. It is no underground inhabitant; 
its nest is differently constructed, the number of its eggs fewer; it is 
also migratory, and has the tail and bill much longer. Its food is 
insects and caterpillars, and, while supplying the wants of its young, 
it destroys, on a moderate calculation, many hundreds a day, and 
greatly circumscribes the ravages of these vermin. It is a bold and 
insolent bird against those of the Titmouse and Woodpecker kind 
that venture to build within its jurisdict on; attacking them withe:t 
hesitation, though twice its size, and generally forcing them to de- 
camp. I have known him drive a pair of Swallows from their newly- 
formed nest, and take immediate possession of the premises, in which 
his female also laid her eggs, and reared her young. Even the Blue- 
Bird, who claims an equal and sort of hereditary right to the box in 
the garden, when attacked by this little impertinent, soon relinquishes 
the contest, the sn placidness of his disposition not being a match 
* 
