THE LIVING WORLD. 
336 
most courageous bird, and fights desperately with both beak and claw. He is 
also very curious to explore mysteries, and at such a time acts in a truly comi¬ 
cal way. Upon one occasion while in the woods I saw a pair of titmice flitting" 
from branch to branch and filling the air with their musical calls of peter, peter , 
peter , when out of curiosity I attempted an imitation of their notes. As often as 
they sang I whistled in response, when presently I saw them drawing gradually 
nearer. Thus encouraged I con¬ 
tinued to answer their calls until 
they came so near me that I could 
almost reach them with my hand.. 
All this time they hopped cheerily 
about looking at me in an exceed¬ 
ingly droll manner, cocking their 
heads in many positions, as if 
afraid to trust the vision of either, 
eye. In this manner we continued, 
to watch each other until I became 
tired of the amusement. 
House Wren ( Troglodytes * 
parvulus). This charming little 
bird is common throughout the 
United States, and though a greater 
number seem to migrate to warmer- 
latitudes in the fall, a few remain 
and may be seen in mid-winter as 
far north as Missouri. It ranks 
next to the humming-bird in 
size, but though most diminutive- 
of body, it pours forth, at breeding 
time, very shrill and loud notes, 
resembling “ chippery , chippery ,. 
chipperyP chip , with a liquid in¬ 
tonation which cannot be imitated 
by letters. It is very sociable 
and prefers to build in or near 
human habitations. They have 
been known to build in the sleeve- 
of a coat hung against a wall, or 
even in old hats. If the cavity 
they select be too large, they fill 
the unused space with sticks or other convenient material, leaving an entrance 
barely large enough to admit their wee bodies. In the centre of this mass a. 
hemispherical nest is constructed, compact in its architecture, composed of fine 
material and warmly lined with feathers and the fur of animals. The eggs are 
usually seven in number, with a white ground thickly blotched with small 
spots of reddish-brown. The wren is insectivorous, and one of the most useful 
friends to the farmer. 
Shrikes ( Lanius collurio) are represented in America by two species, the 
Loggerhead and the White-rumped, the former being found chiefly in the South- 
nest of penduune titmouse ( Parus pendulinus). 
