172 
SAXICOLA SIALIS. 
or the hole in the old apple tree, the cradle of 
generations of his ancestors. “ When he first beg:"!’ 
his amours,” says a curious and correct observer, 
pleasing to behold his courtship, his solicitude to 
and to secure the favour of his beloved female, ' ! 
uses the tcnderiist expressions, sits close by her, care':^' 
and sings to licr his most endearing warblings. 
seated together, if he espies an insect delicious to 
taste, he takes it up, flies with it to her, spreads 
wing over her, and puts it in her mouth.”# If a 
makes his appearance, (for they .are ardent in th‘' 
loves,) he (jiiits lier in a moment, attacks and puts" . 
tlie intruder as he shifts from pl.acc to place, in 
that bespeak the jealousy of his affection, conducts 
with many reproofs, beyond the extremities of ' j 
territory, and returns to warble out his transpott^ .'1 
triumph beside his beloved mate. The prelimini"'',^ 
being thus settled, and the spot fixed on, they hegi" \ 
clean out tlie old nest, and the rubbish of the for"' j 
year, and to prepare for the reception of their f«*"'i, 
oflfspriug. Soon after this, another sociable little ,P'. 
grim, fmolacilla domestica, house wren,) also arri'^ 
from the south, and, finding such a snug berth j 
occuj)ied, shews his spite, by watchimr a convenil". 
opportunity, and, in the absence of the owner, popp'lli 
m .and pulling out sticks ; hut tokes special care to n*"'‘ 
off as fast as possible. ., 
The fcunale lays five, and sometimes six eggs, of " 
blue colour ; and raises two, and sometimes three br<’ 
in a seiison ; the male taking the youngest under 
particular care while the female is again sitting. **i|( 
principal food are insects, particularly large beetles, "''j 
other hard-slielled sorts, that lurk among old, dead, 
deCiiyino' trees. .Spiders are also a favourite repast 'j' . 
them. Ill tile fall, they occasionally regale thenisclr 
on the berries of the sour gum ; and, as wiiit"", "y 
proaches, on those of the red cedar, and on the fi^''^^ 
a rough hairy vino that runs up and cleaves fast to t 
* Letter from Mr WiUiam Bartmiu to tlie author. 
