in ornithology. See Motacilla.

(Sir Christopher), a great philosopher, and one of the most learned and most eminent architects of his age, was the son of Christopher Wren dean of Windsor, and was born in 1632. He studied at Wadham college in Oxford; where he took the degree of master of arts in 1653, and was chosen fellow of All Souls college. When very young he discovered a surprising genius for the mathematics; in which science he made great advances before he was fifteen years old. In 1657, he was made professor of astronomy at Gresham college, London; which he resigned in 1662, on his being chosen to the Savilian professorship of astronomy in Oxford; he was the next year created doctor of laws, and in 1663 was elected fellow of the Royal Society. He was one of the commissioners for the reparation of St Paul's; and in 1665 travelled into France, to examine the most beautiful edifices there, when he made many curious observations. At his return to England, he drew a noble plan for rebuilding the city of London after the fire, which he presented to parliament; and upon the decease of Sir John Denham in 1668, was made surveyor-general of his majesty's works; and from that time had the direction of a great number of public edifices, by which he acquired the highest reputation. He built the magnificent theatre at Oxford, St Paul's cathedral, the churches of St Stephen Walbrook, and St Mary-le-Bow, the Monument, the modern part of the palace of Hampton Court, Chelsea College, one of the wings of Greenwich Hospital, and many other beautiful edifices. He was president of the Royal Society, one of the commissioners of Chelsea College, and twice member of parliament; first for Plymouth in Devonshire, and then for Melcomb Regis in the same county; but in 1718 was removed from his place of surveyor-general. He died in 1723, and was interred in the vault under St Paul's.

This great man also distinguished himself by many curious inventions and discoveries in natural philosophy; and, among many others, contrived an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain that falls on any space of land for a year; he invented many ways of making astronomical observations more accurate and easy; and was the first author of the anatomical experiment of injecting liquors into the veins of animals, &c. He translated into Latin Mr Oughtred's Horologographica Geometrica; and wrote a Survey of the cathedral church of Salisbury, and other pieces. After his death his posthumous works and draughts were published by his son.