212 ornithologist's text-book. ivy wren. 



fusion of feathers, but there are many which do 

 not contain a single feather; and here again we 

 perceive the wonderful diversity displayed by the 

 Ivy Wren in the framing of its beautiful piece of 

 architecture. Most other birds almost invariably 

 line their nests with the same materials; that is, 

 the materials do not vary considerably in different 

 specimens, though the exterior frequently varies 

 according to circumstances. On referring to the 

 beautiful and accurate work of my friend, Mr. 

 Hewitson, of oological celebrity*, I find my ob- 

 servations confirmed. He says : — " Ornithologists 

 differ as to the lining of the nest of the [Ivy] Wren, 

 some maintaining that it is thickly lined with fea- 

 thers, whilst others deny that it has any in its com- 

 position. I have found it both ways, but cannot, 

 from recollection, say which most frequently." It 

 is difficult to imagine what can be the reason of 

 this extraordinary variety in different specimens ; 

 and I do not pretend to draw any subtle inferences 

 from the circumstance, but merely present my 

 readers with the plain fact, which almost any one, 

 residing in the country, may verify for himself. 



The Ivy Wren often builds nests which never 

 contain eggs. These are called " cock nests" in 

 some parts of England, being supposed to be the 

 manufacture of the male ; here, however, they are 

 more commonly known by the name of " fallow- 

 nests", which is certainly a more appropriate de- 

 signation. It is the opinion of some writers, that 

 these " cock" or " fallow nests" are built by the 

 male, for the purpose of drawing away the atten- 

 tion of nest-plunderers and other intruders from 

 the real structure. This might be a plausible 

 theory enough for the closet speculator and com- 

 piler; but as, in the biographies of birds, one fact 



* See Ms exquisite British Oology, No. XXL 



