SONG BIRDS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



liar without impudence, busy and bustling in action, 

 and extremely gallant in manners ; so much so, 

 indeed, that every mild and sunny day in winter 

 reminds him of ' It jour des noces,' and excites him 

 to pour forth his gay and lively song. This, though 

 short, is full of gaiety and sprightliness : it is a 

 burst of joy, rapturous and loud ; beginning high 

 and graduated down to rather more than an octave, 

 and repeated at intervals of about a minute or 

 two." So audibly loud is the song, that it may 

 be easily distinguished even in a full chorus. The 

 Wren has also a curious note of fear, resembling the 

 winding up of a clock, and a burring note of 

 rebuke. 



Though the Wren is far from being a timid bird — 

 for it will allow one to come within arm's length of 

 it, while it is hopping about in pursuit of flies — it 

 is no less wary than other birds respecting its nest, 

 and will scold most outrageously — calling " cheek ! 

 cheek !" in rapid succession, when any one intrudes 

 within its boundaries ; and will even pursue a boy 

 or polecat to some distance with loud manifesta- 

 tions of anger — tantatne animis exiguis irce ?* 



It begins to make a nest early in the spring, but 

 frequently deserts it before it is lined, and searches 

 for a more secure situation. It is frequently made 

 under the thatch of outbuildings, against the side 

 of a mossy tree, or against an impending bank 

 that secures it from the rain ; sometimes in a low 

 thick bush. But what is remarkable, the mate- 

 rials of the nest are generally adapted to the 



* Ornithological Dictionary. 



