THE WEEN. 
is rather a dainty feeder, and requires that his food should be 
varied. He may have raw or cooked lean meat, very finely 
shredded, boiled carrot, parsnip, or cauliflower, hemp-seed (in 
small quantities), flies, ants, mealworms, and soft juicy berries. 
He is very fond of elderberries. 
In autumn he maybe captured with the ordinary “tit trap,” 
or taken off the boughs by liming the tip of a long fishing-rod 
and touching him on any part of the body with it. This is by 
no means so difficult as would at first appear, as the wren is by 
no means a shy bird. 
Diseases oe the Ween, and How to Cube Them. — This 
tiny songster is liable to almost every disease which afflict other 
birds, but consumption is the most fatal. In a few weeks his 
neat plumage will go rough and ragged, his little body grow 
smaller and smaller, and then he will die — unless you prevent 
it. There is small hope for a consumptive wren ; but the best 
thing is to give him a small house-spider every third day, and 
to lay a rusty nail in his drinking-water. 
Should he be afflicted with any other disease, treat him 
according to the directions already given, always bearing in 
mind the delicate structure of your tiny patient. 
The Golden-Ceested Ween. — This is the smallest of the 
wren tribe ; indeed, the smallest of European birds. Its entire 
length is only three inches and a half, of which more than a 
third is monopolized by the bird’s tail. Truly has it been said 
that this wren with the flaming crown is a citizen of the world. 
He is found in the East and West Indies, in South and North 
America, and in the depths of African forests and jungles. 
Everywhere is his sovereignty acknowledged, The Spaniards 
entitle him reyezuelo (little king) ; the Germans, sclmeekonig 
(snow-king) ; the Portuguese, ave re (king-bird) ; the Italians, 
re di siejpe (king of the hedge), and reattino (little king). 
Without a doubt it is a gorgeous little bird. Its back is 
yellow-green, the breast and sides under the wings of a delicate 
cream colour, the wings and tail russet and edged with olive 
yellow, over each eye is a bow of jet black, and between these 
black bars is set the flame- coloured crown. While on the wing 
or flitting among the branches, the little creature has the power 
to raise and lower his fiery head-dress with great rapidity, and 
thus seen among the dark green leaves, it looks as though a 
light had been suddenly kindled. 
The boy must be a bold climber who ventures to go nesting 
for the golden- crested wren. Even after he has made his way 
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