18 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 
remember one flying into a church in Buenos Ayres 
one Sunday, and during the whole sermon-time 
pouring out its bright lyric strain from its perch high 
up somewhere in the ornamental woodwork of the 
roof, 
The Wren sings all summer, and also on bright 
days in winter. The song is not unlike that of the 
European Wren, having the same gushing character, 
the notes strong and clear, uttered with rapidity and 
precision ; but the Argentine bird has greater sweet- 
ness and power; although I cannot agree with Azara 
that it resembles or comes nearest to the Nightingale. 
In spring the male courts his mate with notes high 
and piercing as the squeals of a young mouse ; these 
he repeats with great rapidity, fluttering his wings 
all the time like a moth, and at intervals breaking out 
into song. 
The nest is made in a hole in a wall or ‘tree, 
sometimes in the forsaken domed nest of some other 
bird; and where such sites are not to be found, 
in a dense thistle or thorn-bush, or in a large tussock 
of grass. I have also found nests in dry skulls of 
cows and horses, in an old boot, in the sleeve of an 
old coat left hanging on a fence, in a large-necked 
bottle, and in various other curious situations. The 
nest is built of sticks and lined with horsehair or 
feathers, and the eggs are usually nine in number, of a 
pinkish ground-colour, thickly spotted with pale red. 
