THE WREN. 
77 
“ The primrose for a veil had spread 
The largest of her upright leaves ; 
And thus, for purposes benign, 
A simple flower deceives.” 
Few birds are more jealous of human interference than the Wren. A touch to the 
nest, especially the introduction of a finger into it before eggs are laid, will almost 
certainly cause the parents to forsake. When once eggs are laid, however, and 
still more when the young are hatched, they are just as careless of man’s inter¬ 
ruptions. The old bird may even be caught on the nest, and she will not forsake 
her nest. The eggs vary in number from six to twelve, or even sixteen, and are 
of a delicate white, with a few pink spots at the larger end. Most boys have 
abstracted two or three of these and supplied their place with small white stones. 
Frequently the old bird, unconscious of the deception, goes on laying. Another 
curious fact connected with the Wren’s nidification is that two or three empty and 
seemingly forsaken nests are frequently found in the vicinity of the one actually 
selected for the eggs. Some suppose that these are actually nests which the old 
ones have left in disgust on account of their having been disturbed. Others fancy 
that they are “ cock-nests,” made for shelter or amusement by the male bird. They 
have also been supposed to be for shelter in the winter. Undoubtedly they are 
often thus used, but the best explanation seems to be that the male constructs 
them near the true nest, but does not line them with feathers, in order to lead 
searchers from the real nest, which is generally more carefully hid. This is a point, 
however, in the Wren’s economy which yet requires more investigation. 
Mr. Weir watched the building of a Wren’s nest with much care. It was 
begun at 7 a.m. on May 30, and the whole external covering was completed by 
7 at night. During the next few days feathers for lining were carried in, and the 
whole nest completed before noon on June 8. The same observer found that the 
young were fed at least 278 times in the course of a day. The Wren has not 
unfrequently two broods in the year. Jesse relates that “a gentleman fond of 
observing the habits of birds, on visiting one day a cottage in his neighbourhood, 
was told by some children of a Wren’s nest in a low hedge near the cottage. 
Wishing to have it left unmolested, he promised the children that if they would 
take care of it he would give them a reward. On visiting the nest a short time 
afterwards he found that the usual hole of the nest had been stopped up, and 
immediately accused the children of having broken their promise not to touch the 
nest. They protested that they had never once meddled with it, or disturbed the 
