l, and gayly bold
Waved jeweled sceptre."

In that spot we sat an hour, and saw many birds, with whom it was
evidently a favorite hunting-ground. But no one seemed to live there;
every one appeared to be passing through; and realizing as we did, that
it was late in the season, our search for nests in use was rather
half-hearted anyway. As our breakfast-time drew near we decided to go
home, having found nothing we cared to study. Just as we were taking
leave of the spot I heard, nearly at my back, a gentle scolding cry, and
glancing around, my eyes fell upon two small birds running down the
trunk of a walnut sapling. A few inches above the ground one of the pair
disappeared, and the other, still scolding, flew away. I hastened to the
spot--and there I found my great Carolinian.

The nest was made in a natural cavity in the side of a stump six or
eight inches in diameter and a foot high. It seemed to be of moss,
completely roofed over, and stooping nearer its level I saw the bird,
looking flattened as if she had been crushed, but returning my gaze,
bravely resolved to live or die with her brood. I noted her color, and
the peculiar irregular line over her eye, and then I left her, though I
did not know who she was. Nothing would have been easier than to put my
hand over her door and catch her, but nothing would have induced me to
do so--if I never knew her name. Time enough for formal introductions
later in our acquaintance, I thought, and if it happened that we never
met again, what did I care how she was named in the books?

I did not at first even suspect her identity, for who would expect to
find the great Carolina wren a personage of less than six inches! even
though he were somewhat familiar with the vagaries of name-givers, who
call one bird after the cat, whom he in no way resembles, and another
after the bull, to whom the likeness is, if possible, still less. What
was certain was that the nest belonged to wrens, and was admirably
placed for study; and what I instantly resolved was to improve my
acquaintance with the owners thereof.

The little opening in the woods, which became the Wren's Court, when
their rank was discovered, was a most attractive place, shaded enough to
be pleasant, while yet leaving a goodly stretch of blue sky in sight,
bounded on one side by immense forest trees--walnut, butternut, oak, and
others--which looked as if they had stood there for generations; on the
other side, the babbling s