, 88 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
her whole song very distinctly. One of the young 
then attempted to imitate her. After proceeding 
through a few notes, its voice broke and it lost the 
tune. The mother immediately recommenced where 
the young one had failed, and went very distinctly 
through with the remainder. The young bird made 
a second attempt, commencing where it had ceased 
before, and continuing the song as long as it was 
able ; and when the note was again lost, the mother 
began anew where it stopped, and completed it. Then 
the young one resumed the tune and finished it. This 
done, the mother sang over the whole series of notes 
a second time with great precision, and a second of 
the young attempted to follow her. The wren pur- 
sued the same course with this as with the first, and 
so with the third and fourth. 
“ 4 It sometimes happened that the young one would 
lose the tune three, four, or more times in the same 
attempt ; in which case the mother uniformly began 
where it ceased, and sang the remaining notes ; and 
when each had completed the trial she repeated the 
whole strain. Sometimes two of the young com- 
menced together. The mother observed the same 
conduct toward them as when one sang alone. This 
was repeated day after day, and several times in a 
day.’” 
“ How cunning !” exclaimed the children. u I 
