THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 251 
the window being open, as well as the room door, 
the female wren venturing too far into the room to 
reconnoitre, was sprang upon by Grimalkin, who 
had planted herself there for the purpose, and, before 
relief could be given, was destroyed/' 
Curious to see how the survivor would demean 
himself, I watched him carefully for several days ; 
at first he sung with great vivacity for an hour or so, 
but becoming uneasy, went off for half-an-hour : 
on his return, he chanted again as before, and went to 
the top of the house, stable, and weeping willow, 
that she might hear him ; but seeing no appearance 
of her, he returned once more, visited the nest, ven- 
tured cautiously into the window, gazed about with 
suspicious looks, his voice sinking to a low melan- 
choly note, as he stretched his little neck about in 
every direction . Returning to the box, he seemed 
for some minutes at a loss what to do, and soon after 
went off, as I thought, altogether, for I saw him no 
more that day. Towards the afternoon of the second 
day, he again made his appearance, accompanied by 
a new female, who seemed exceedingly timorous and 
shy, and who, after great hesitation, entered the box. 
At this moment, the little widower, or bridegroom. 
