File:Coloured illustrations of British birds, and their eggs (1844) (14564015660).jpg

Identifier: colouredillustra21844meye (find matches)
Title: Coloured illustrations of British birds, and their eggs
Year: 1842 (1840s)
Authors: Meyer, H. L. (Henry Leonard), d. 1864 Meyer, H. L. (Henry Leonard), d. 1864. Illustrations of British birds Rutter, Daniel, former owner. DSI Rolle, Mark, former owner. DSI S. & J. Bentley, Wilson & Fley, printer S. & J. Bentley and Henry Fley, printer
Subjects: Birds Birds Birds Taxidermists Birds
Publisher: London : G.W. Nickisson
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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d of our latitude, and braves the occasionalrigour of the winter in this country generally unharmed.In winter it inhabits and shelters itself within holes andcaves, among heaps of stones, or hollows formed by theroots of trees, or in the cavernous recesses of old decayedstems. In summer it does not entirely abandon such situa-tions, but appears to have an attachment, at all seasons,for places sombre and lonely. It also inhabits woods andplantations, where there is plenty of sheltering underwood,and low bushes and hedgerows, and is often seen in theneglected corner of a cottage garden. Wherever this littlecreature resides it is fond of concealing itself, and as thedead foliage and vegetable rubbish, amongst which it oftencreeps, nearly assimilate with it in colour, it is only to bediscovered by its exceeding restlessness. It is a solitaryspecies, never associating in flocks, and seldom, except inspring, to be seen even in pairs. This light-hearted little bird is lively and intelligent,
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Ph. Jo WREN. 153 and readily sensible of danger ; on the least alarm it hastensto hide itself from observation with the greatest possiblespeed : its hops or leaps are mostly executed with the tailerect, and follow in such quick succession that its flightthrough the intricacies of a bush or hedge has a great resem-blance to the running of a mouse. When a bird of preyappears, the little wren often gives the alarm, by utteringrapidly its note of fear, shrek ! shrek ! so quickly repeated,that it sounds like a miniature watchmans rattle ; this is usu-ally accompanied with a curtsying, or dipping motion, inthe manner of the redbreast. The flight of the Wren is performed in a straight line,fluttering incessantly its short rounded wings; it seldomperforms any longer flight than from bush to bush, or acrossan open grass plat, and usually near the ground, as if con-scious of its imperfect powers. The Wren sings occasionally at all seasons, but leastin the autumn. Early in spring its lively song

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