92 REMARKS ON THE 
though there never was the least probability that it 
would be restored to liberty. 
A still more extraordinary account is given by 
Montagu, in the Introduction to the ‘ Ornithological 
Dictionary,’ p. 33 and following, of some Golden- 
crested Wrens, which were brought up in captivity 
by the parent birds. The narrator took the nest, he 
informs us, when the young were about six days old, 
and, putting it in a small basket, enticed the old 
ones by degrees to his study window. After allow- 
ing them sufficient time to become familiar with 
that situation, he placed the basket within the win- 
dow, and then at the opposite side of the room. It 
is remarkable, he observes, that, although the female 
seemed regardless of danger, from her affection for 
her offspring, yet the male never once ventured into 
the room, though he constantly fed the young birds 
while they were at the outside of the window. The 
female, on the contrary, would feed them at the table 
at which he sat, and even when he held the nest in 
his hand, provided he remained motionless; but, on 
moving his head one day, while she was on the 
edge of the nest, she made a precipitate retreat, 
mistook the closed for the open part of the window, 
knocked herself against the glass, and fell breathless 
on the floor, where she lay for some time. However, 
recovering a little, she made her escape; and, in 
about an hour after, he was agreeably surprised by 
