120 
RURAL HOURS. 
a nest close at hand, but they build so cunningly, making their 
nests look so much like a common bunch of moss or lichen, that 
they are seldom discovered, although they often build about gar- 
dens, and usually at no great height ; we have known a nest 
found in a lilac-bush, and sometimes they are even satisfied with a 
tall coarse weed ; in the woods, they are said to prefer a white oak 
sapling, seldom building, however, more than ten feet from the 
ground. 
Though so diminutive, they are bold and fearless, making very 
good battle when necessary, and going about generally in a very 
careless, confident way. They fly into houses more frequently 
than any other bird, sometimes attracted by plants or flowers 
within, often apparently by accident, or for the purpose of ex- 
ploring. The country people have a saying that when a hum- 
ming-bird flies in at a window he brings a love message for some 
one in the house ; a pretty fancy, certainly, for Cupid himself 
could nothave desired a daintier avant courier. Unfortunately, this 
trick of flying in at the windows is often a very serious and fatal 
one to the poor little creatures themselves, whatever felicity it 
may bring to the Romeo and Juliet of the neighborhood ; for they 
usually quiver about against the ceiling until quite stimned and 
exhausted, and unless they ai'e caught and set at Uberty, soon de- 
stroy themselves in this way. We have repeatedly known them 
formd dead in rooms httle used, that had been opened to air, and 
which they had entered unperceived. 
They are not so very delicate in constitution as one might sup- 
pose. Mr. Wilson remarks that they are much more numerous in 
this country than the common wren is in England. It is well 
known that we have but one variety in this part of the continent ; 
