WRENS. 75 



success. When not engaged in quarrels or robbery, in build- 

 ing or incubation, they are busy in hunting for insects, par- 

 ticularly spiders, in shrubbery, gardens, and orchards ; and 

 they do not ramble about in the gloomy recesses of wood- 

 piles as the Winter Wrens do. But in winter, when far away 

 from their summer homes, and yet enjoying warm weather, 

 their habits are different from those with which we are here 

 familiar. Mr. Allen, in speaking of their habits in Florida, 

 in winter, says that they keep " so closely concealed that it is 

 difficult to shoot " them " except when on the wing. ^^ Both 

 this and the Carolina Wren are exceedingly quick in their 

 movements, and if they are watching the collector when he is 

 about to shoot at them, they are pretty sure to dodge the 

 charge ; although he finds the bushes and foliage where the 

 bird sat riddled by the shot, he usually searches in vain for 

 the specimen he is sure he ought to have killed. When ap- 

 proached in old grassy fields or pine openings, they will allow 

 one to almost tread on them before attempting to get away, 

 and then, instead of taking to wing, often seek to escape by 

 running off like a mouse beneath the grass. The term 

 ' House ' Wren, usually applied to this bird, is decidedly a 

 misnomer, since it frequents the fields, the thickets, and even 

 the forest, as much as the vicinity of houses. In the wilds of 

 Florida, where human habitations are few, there is nothing 

 whatever in its habits to suggest this name." 



Other instances might be cited to show how very injudi- 

 ciously names have often been bestowed upon birds, more so 

 than in the present case, with which there is but little fault to 

 find. Particularly should be condemned the practice of naming 

 species after the place where they were first captured, for the 

 title may afterwards become utterly inappropriate. 



d. The House Wrens have a chirp not unlike that of an 

 insect, a peculiar chatter, and a charming song, which cannot 

 be satisfactorily described, as is the case with the music of 

 most other birds. This song consists of a few loud and 

 sprightly notes, followed by a loud and very characteristic 



*'^ I have here taken the liberty of very slightly altering the text, without 

 changing its meaning, that it might better accord with my own. 



