Glendale, Mass.
1913.
July 24
[July 24, 1913]

Brood of young House Wrens

  The young House Wrens were in the nest under the 
porch of our house at six o'clock last evening when their 
parents were feeding them there. At 8 o'clock this morning
they had all left it and were scattered through the shrubbery 
on the further side of the lawn where the old birds were 
kept busy through the day supplying them with food & 
scolding everyone who passed along the neighboring 
driveway. At first shrill & chirping the calls of the 
young, while in the nest, gradually became more and 
more harsh and grating until, several days before they 
left it, their cries were closely similar to the rasping 
chatter of their parents. From morning to night both 
adult birds worked with unceasing and almost feverish 
energy to support their ravenous young bringing food 
to them every few minutes. It seemed towards the last to 
consist very largely of green measuring worms about an 
inch in length obtained mostly within fifty yards of the
nest in apple trees and shrubbery.