THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 245 
lived extremely well upon egg and meat, being ex- 
ceedingly tame. At roosting time, there was always 
a whimsical conflict amongst them for the inside 
places, as being the warmest, which ended, of course, 
by the weakest going to the wall. This scene began 
with a low whistling call amongst them to roost, and 
the two birds on the extreme right and left flew on 
the backs of those in the centre, and squeezed them- 
selves into the middle. A fresh couple from the 
flanks immediately renewed the attack upon the centre, 
and the conflict continued till the light began to fail 
them. A severe frost, in February, killed all but one 
of them in one night, though in a furnished drawing 
room. The survivor was preserved, in a little cage, 
by burying it every night under the sofa cushions ; 
but having been, one sharp morning, taken from 
under them before the room was sufficiently warmed 
by the fire, though perfectly well when removed, it 
was dead in ten minutes.'^ 
Mr. Sweet, in reference to the Wood Wren, says, 
" This elegant and beautiful little species ranks 
itself amongst my list of favourites. It visits this 
country the beginning of April, and leaves in August, 
or the beginning of- September. It is generally to 
Y 2 
