OUR HOME BIRDS. 
69 
“ After a while a small wren issued from the box 
and perched himself on a tree near it, sending forth 
a shrill note that seemed to amaze the other birds. 
Then the martins got into the box, but came out again 
quite precipitately. The mite of a wren rushed after 
them, and actually succeeded in turning them out. 
This kind of thing went on all day : first one side 
would seem to conquer, and then the other ; but the 
next morning, as soon as the wren left the box, the 
martins took possession, broke up their own nest, went 
to work afresh with great industry and ingenuity, and 
barricaded the door ! Here was a dilemma for the 
wren, who could no longer get in. She made a brave 
attempt to force an entrance, but did not succeed. 
The poor martins could get nothing to eat, but they 
seemed to feel that it was now or never ; and there 
they stayed for two whole days, defending the en- 
trance of their dwelling, while the wren, finding that 
it was of no use, unwillingly departed, and left the 
others in peaceful possession. 
“ Another pair of swallows fastened an enemy in 
their house, as they could not get her out. Arriving 
at their old nest, as usual, in the spring, they found 
it, to their disgust, occupied by a sparrow, who kept 
the rightful owners at a distance by pecking at them 
with its strong beak whenever they attempted to dis- 
lodge it. Hopeless of ever regaining possession of 
