CAROLINA WREN 



199 



Carolina Wren : lliryothorus ludovicianus. 



Upper parts reddish brown ; under parts buffy ; wings and tail 

 barred with black ; a conspicuous white line over the eye. Length, 

 h^ inches. 



Geogkaphic Distribution. — Eastern United States ; breeds 

 from the Gulf states to southern Iowa, northern Illinois, and 

 southern Connecticut ; resident, except at the northern limit 

 of its range.' 



On the wooded hills of the National Zoological 

 Park at Washington, there are three birds whose 

 songs perplex the brains 

 of the beginner by their 

 similarity — the Cardinal, 

 Crested Titmouse, and 

 Carolina Wren. Each of 

 the birds, however, has one 

 song that is distinct and 

 easily recognized — the 

 two-syllabled pe-to of the 

 Titmouse ; the three-syllabled tea-het-th of the 

 Wren ; and the smooth, one-syllabled, long-drawn 

 cue or quoit of the Cardinal. The Cardinal's, 

 though one-syllabled, is often repeated rapidly as 

 much as eleven times. The resemblance of the 

 three songs is not fancied. The Wren is known 

 as the Mocking Wren, and is supposed to delib- 

 erately mimic the Titmouse, and the Cardinal is 

 also supposed to imitate its fellows ; so it is well 

 to listen carefully before naming the songsters, 

 unless they are singing where you can see their 



Fig. 125. 

 Carolina Wren. 



