The 
known 
common Wren is a very well 
British bird. The Wren is 
seldom seen in the open country, and 
does not venture upon any lengthened 
flight, but confines itself to the hedge- 
rows and brushwood, where it may often 
be observed hopping and skipping like a 
tiny feathered mouse among the branches. 
It especially haunts the hedges which are 
flanked by ditches, as it can easily hide 
itself in such localities, and can also ob- 
tain a plentiful supply of food. By re- 
maining perfectly quiet, the observer can 
readily watch its movements, and it is 
really an interesting sight to see the little 
creature flitting about the brushwood, 
flirting its saucily expressive tail, and 
uttering its quick and cheering note. 
The voice of the Wren is very sweet 
and melodious, and of a more powerful 
character than would be imagined from 
the dimensions of the bird. The Wren 
its gay song on the slightest encouragement of weather. Even in winter there 
needs but the gleam of a few stray sunbeams to set the Wren singing, and the 
cold Christmas season is often cheered with its happy notes. While skipping 
among the branches, the Wren utters a continuous little twitter, which, although 
not worthy of being reckoned as a song, is yet very soft and pleasing. 
The nest of the Wren is rather an ambitious structure, being a completely 
domed edifice, and built in a singularly ingenious manner. If, however, the bird 
can find a suitable spot, such as a hole in a decaying tree, the gnarled and knotted 
branches of old ivy, or the overhanging eaves of a deserted building, where a 
natural dome is formed, it is sure to seize upon the opportunity and to make a 
dome of very slight workmanship. The dome, however, always exists, and is 
composed of leaves and moss, and is very warm and comfortable. It is a very 
singular fact, that a Wren will often commence and partly build three or four 
nests in different localities before it settles finally upon one spot. Some persons 
have supposed that these supplementary nests are built by the parent bird as 
houses for its young after they have grown too large to be contained within the 
house where they were born, while others have suggested that they are experi- 
mental nests made by the inexperienced young while trying their ’prentice beak 
in the art of bird architecture. 
is 
WREN . — Troglodytes vidgdris. 
a merry little creature, and chants 
81 
G 
