126 
THE HOUSE WREN". 
window was open, its company was extremely agreeable, as was its little song, 
which continually reminded us of its happy life. It would now and then 
dive into the garden at the foot of the window, procure food for its mate, 
return and creep into the hole where it had its nest, and be off again in a 
moment. Having procured some flies and spiders, I now and then threw 
some of them towards him, when he would seize them with great alacrity, 
eat some himself, and carry the rest to his mate. In this manner, it became 
daily more acquainted with us, entered the room, and once or twice sang 
whilst there. One morning I took it in to draw its portrait, and suddenly 
closing the window, easily caught it, held it in my hand, and finished its 
likeness, after which I restored it to liberty. This, however, made it more 
cautious, and it never again ventured within the window, although it sang 
and looked at us as at first. 
The antipathy which the House W ren shews to cats is extreme. Although 
it does not attack puss, it follows and scolds her until she is out of sight. In 
the same manner it makes war on the Martin, the Blue Bird and the House 
Swallow, the nest of any of which it does not scruple to appropriate to 
itself, whenever occasion offers. Its own nest is formed of dry crooked 
twigs, so interwoven as scarcely to admit entrance to any other bird. 
Within this outer frame-work grasses are arranged in a circular manner, and 
the whole is warmly lined with feathers and other equally soft materials. 
The eggs are five or six, of a regularly oval form, and uniform pale reddish 
colour. Two broods are raised in the season. 
The male seems to delight in attempting to surpass in vocal powers others 
of his species, during the time of incubation; and is frequently seen within 
sight of another, straining his little throat, and gently turning his body from 
side to side, as if pivoted on the upper joints of his legs. For a moment 
he conceives the musical powers of his rival superior to his own, and darts 
towards him, when a battle ensues, which over, he immediately resumes his 
song, whether he has been the conqueror or not. 
When the young issue from the nest, it is interesting to see them follow 
the parents amongst the currant bushes in the gardens, like so many mice, 
hopping from twig to twig, throwing their tail upwards, and putting their 
bodies into a hundred different positions, all studied from the parents, whilst 
the latter are heard scolding, even without cause, but as if to prevent the 
approach of enemies, so anxious are they for the safety of their progeny. 
They leave Pennsylvania about the 1st of October. 
This species is not found farther eastward along our Atlantic shores tnan 
the province of Nova Scotia, where it is not very common, and I suspect 
that the specimen of a Troglodytes procured by Mr. Drummond at the foot 
of the Rocky Mountains, and described in the Fauna Boreali-Americana, 
