142 Mr. W. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland* 



in safety. About Whitehouse, on the shore of Belfast Bay, where 

 the grass- wrack {Zostcra marina) is abundant, and always lying in 

 masses on the beach, it is the material (as I am informed by Mr. 

 James Grimshaw, jun.) commonly used by the wren in the construc- 

 tion of its nest, which externally is entirely composed of it. My friend 

 at Cromac remarks, that he has generally found upwards of a dozen of 

 eggs in the nest of this bird, and notices, from his own observation, 

 the well-known circumstance of its making two or three nests before 

 laying. A gentleman of my acquaintance was once much amused 

 at witnessing a wren purloining materials from a thrush's nest, 

 which was built in a bush adjoining its own tenement, then in course 

 of erection. When the thrush was absent in search of food for its 

 young, which were nearly fledged, the wren generally contrived to 

 steal from it " two or three good mouthfuls " to assist in the erec- 

 tion of its own edifice. 



In a communication from Mr. R. Davis, jun., dated Clonmel, 

 Nov. 1841, it is remarked, — " Being some years ago in want of the 

 eggs of the spotted flycatcher, I had been watching a pair who had 

 built in a garden near our house. The female had laid three eggs, 

 and on my going two days afterwards hoping to find the full number, 

 five, what was my surprise to see the nest crammed with young 

 wrens just able to fly ! they had apparently broken or thrown out 

 all the eggs but one : the flycatchers were gone. I suppose the 

 wrens, being ' brought out ' for the first time, had taken refuge in 

 the nest and expelled the rightful owners ; but it was rather a cu- 

 rious and inexplicable circumstance." 



In a well- sheltered locality I have often in winter seen the wren 

 frequenting the cow-shed (where it nightly roosted) and farm- 

 stable in the forenoon of frosty days, when there was bright and 

 warm sunshine out of doors. To the green-houses and hot-houses 

 in the garden of a relative this bird often resorts, especially in 

 winter ; indeed, to wherever it can find the best shelter. Under 

 the date of Sept. 23 is a journal-note to the effect, that on the yard- 

 wall before my window a wren appeared, singing with extraordinary 

 loudness, its tail and wings drooping all the time. Other birds were 

 attracted to the spot by its loud song. First came a hedge-sparrow 

 to buffet it, which was followed by a male and female chaffinch, also 

 with sinister intent; but bold as Fitz James, 



" Come one, come all, this rock shall fly 

 From its firm base as soon as I," 



it maintained its position against one and all, and sang away as fiercely 

 as ever. A robin too alighted beside the songster, but, unlike the 

 others, did not seek to disturb it. There was no apparent cause for 

 this proceeding on the part of the wren. The uproar this species 

 keeps by the loud utterance and repetition of its call chit* when a 

 cat appears in its vicinity is well known, and is of service to other 

 birds by warning them of the presence of their enemy. 



Smith, in his ' History of Cork,' written about a century ago, re- 



* Hence popularly called ' chitty wran ' in Ireland. 



