Tlie Patient Industry of this Bird. 13 



" The next morning the little he-wren seemed in a regular 

 ecstasy, and sang incessantly till half-past nine, when they both 

 brought in moss and feathers, working on for about two hours, 

 and again they went off, remaining away an hour later than usual. 

 Their work was now nearly over, and they seemed to be taking 

 their leisure, when all at once the hen-bird, who was sitting in 

 her nest and looking out at her door, espied a man half-hidden 

 by an arbor vitae. It was no other than her good friend, but 

 that she did not know ; all men were terrible, as enemies to her 

 race, and at once she set up her cry of alarm. The he-bird, on 

 hearing this, appeared in a great state of agitation, and though 

 the frightful monster immediately ran off, the little creatures 

 pursued him, scolding vehemently. 



" The next day they worked again with feathers and fine 

 moss, and again went off after having brought in a few more 

 feathers. So they did for the next five days ; working leisurely, 

 and latterly only with feathers. On the tenth day the nest was 

 finished, and the little mother-bird laid her first &<gg in it." 



Where is the boy, let him be as ruthless a bird-nester as he 

 may, who could have the heart to take a wren's nest, only to 

 tear it to pieces, after reading the history of this patient labour 

 of love ? 



The wren, like various other small birds, cannot bear that 

 their nests or eggs should be touched ; they are always disturbed 

 and distressed by it, and sometimes even will desert their nest 

 and eggs in consequence. On one occasion, therefore, this 

 good, kind-hearted friend of every bird that builds, carefully 

 put his finger into a wren's nest, during the mother's absence, 

 to ascertain whether the young were hatched ; on her return. 



