the branches of wall-fruit trees, and lofts, use being made occasionally
of the holes previously tenanted by Sparrows and Starlings. One has
been known built in the old nest of a Thrush, and another withinside
that of a Swallow, one, again, in the newly-finished nest of a Martin,
another on a branch of a yew tree among the foliage, and another in
one of the hatches in the river at Winchester. Mr. Jesse relates a
curious anecdote of a Wren's nest, the owner of which being disturbed
by some children watching it, blocked up the original entrance, and
opened out a new one on the other side.
I n the garden of Xunburnhohnc Rectory one was built, in 1854, in
the middle of a low quickset hedge, near the top, close to two walks.
It was composed id' dry leaves. Mr. St. John Bays, "'I saw one this
year which was built in a cactus, that hung from the roof of a greenhouse.
Every time the little bird wished to add a leaf, or a piece of
moss, she had to squeeze and twist herself in through a small hole left for
the entrance of a vine stem. Her perseverance and determination were
extraordinary, for in spite of all difficulties she managed to form an
immense nest in this singularly chosen and picturesque abode. It is
difficult to imagine what cotdd have put it into her head to come into
the greenhouse at all, and through so awkward an entrance, surrounded,
too, as she was, by places far morn suitable and easy of access.'
Ten days or a fortnight arc occupied in the construction of the
tenement, a few small stems of grass supported on the rugged bark or
any rough part of the tree, if placed against one, indicating its
commencement, and this is subsequently built on to, till all is completed.
I have been favoured with specimens by W. llobson, Esq., of Pier
Head, London, and W. Bridger, Esq., and a drawing of one by the
Rev. B. 1'. Alington.
I n the eighth volume of the ' Magazine of Natural History,' a
correspondent narrates that in watching a pair of Wrens building their
nest, he noticed that one confined itself entirely to the construction
thereof, which it never left for a moment, whilst the other was incessantly
passing and re-passing with materials for the structure. These materials,
however, this helper never once attempted to put into their places; they
were always regularly delivered to the grand architect that was employed
in constructing the building. Ronnie says that the Wren does not
' b e g i n at the beginning' with its nest, but first works at the outline of
the whole, and afterwards encloses the sides and top, and that if it be
placed under a bank, the top is begun first. The little bird often
carries a piece of moss nearly as large as itself, or a straw of even
greater length than itself, by which it is threatened to be overborne in
its (light, and if it should chance to drop it, will pick it up again.
The eggs are usually from seven to eight in number, but generaUy
not more than eight, though as many as a dozen or even fourteen
have been found, of a pale reddish white colour, the former tint being
transient; some are dusky white. This ground colour is sprinkled all
over with small spots of dark crimson red, and these most numerous
at the obtuse end; some are quite white: the shell is very thin and
polished. The male feeds the female white sitting. Two broods are
produced in the season. The least disturbance wiU cause the nest to
be forsaken, and a new one built, and this again and again, if so
required, until the eggs are laid; even then, if they or the young be
once handled, the bird will sometimes desert them. This, or some
interruption of the ordinary course of laying, may be the cause of
tenantless nests of the Wren being su frequently found; it is, however,
said that a forsaken nest will sometimes be again returned to. Thus
several nests of the same year are often found near together, the work
of one and the same pan of birds, and other nests, in the making of
which both birds assist, are not very unfrequently put together in
the autumn, and hi these the birds shelter themselves in the winter,
possibly as being of the newest, and therefore the best, construction,
and made too late in the year for a further brood; these nests seldom,
if ever, contain any feathers. The young arc said to return to lodge
in the nest for some time after being fledged.
As an illustration of the paper in ' T h e Naturalist,' volume i., page
5, by my brother, Dr. Beverley R. Morris, on the power that birds
have of compressing their bodily bulk, I may mention an instance,
given by Mr. Meyer in his work, of a Wren he had which flew
without seeming difficulty through the wires of a cage little more than
a third of an inch asunder.
Male; weight, about, two drachms and three quarters; length, about
four inches or a little over; the bill is rather long, and rounded at
the tip, and is slender in shape, the upper mandible dark brown, the
lower paler, the tip only dark; iris, dark brown; over it is a streak
of pale brown. Head on the crown, neck on the back, and nape,
rusty reddish brown, barred transversely with narrow streaks of dark
brown; chin and throat, plain greyish dull buff, as is the breast, but
darker lower down, and reddish brown on the sides; back, reddish
brown, marked with transverse dusky bars.
The wings, which are much rounded, have the first feather only
half as long as the second, which is of the same length as the seventh;
the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth nearly equal in length, but the
fourth the longest, with three or four small round white spots: greater
and lesser wing coverts, also rufous, and barred; primaries, barred