432 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



I first heard the note of the White-eyed Vireo in March, 

 the Carolina Wren immediately mimicked the note of 

 teeah ivewd, witte toeeivd. Some of these notes would 

 appear to be recollections of the past season, as imita- 

 tions of the Maryland Yellow-Throat [wittiscc wittisee 

 wittisee loit, and shcioaicUt, shewaidit, shcioaidit) not yet 

 heard or arrived within the boundary of the United 

 States. So also his tsherry tsherry tsherry tshup is one 

 of the notes of the Baltimore Bird, yet in South America. 

 While at Tuscaloosa, about the 20th of February, one 

 of these Wrens, on the borders of a garden, sat and 

 repeated for some time, tshe-ivhiskee ivhiskee ivhiskee, 

 then soolait soolait soolait ; another of his phrases is 

 tshukddee tshukddee tshukddeetslioo , and chjihicay 

 cTijihioay chjibivay, uttered quick ; the first of these ex- 

 pressions is in imitation of one of the notes of the Scar- 

 let Tanaser. Amidst these imitations and variations 

 which seem almost endless, and lead the stranger to im- 

 agine himself, even in the depth of winter, surrounded 

 by all the quaint choristers of the summer, there is 

 still, with our capricious and tuneful mimick, a favor- 

 ite theme more constantly and regularly repeated than 

 the rest. This was also the first sound that I heard from 

 him, delivered with great spirit, though in the dreary month 

 of January. This sweet and melodious ditty, tsee-toot 

 tsee-toot tsee-toot, and sometimes tsec-toot tsee-toot seet^ 

 was usually uttered in a somewhat plaintive or tender 

 strain, varied at each repetition with the most de- 

 lightful and delicate tones, of which no conception can 

 be formed without experience. That this song has a 

 sentimental air may be conceived from its interpretation 

 by the youths of the country, who pretend to hear it say, 

 sweet-heart sweet-heart sweet ! nor is the allusion more 

 than the natural truth, for, usually, this affectionate ditty 



