210 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



were found in 14 stomachs, tree frogs in 8, and a snake in 1 ; totaling 

 1.92 percent." Of the vegetable food, a little fruit pulp was found in 

 a few stomachs, seeds of bayberry in 20, sweet gum in 10, poison ivy 

 in 7, sumac in 4, pine in 2, weed seeds in 7, and ground-up acorns in 2. 



Several observers have noted that Carolina wrens will come freely 

 to feeding stations, if placed near brush piles, thickets, or other suit- 

 able shelter, where they will feed on ground peanuts, suet, marrow of 

 bones, or ground hamburg steak. 



Behavior. — Like others of its tribe, the Carolina wren is the embodi- 

 ment of tireless energy and activity, seldom still for a moment, as he 

 dodges in and out of the underbrush or creeps over and around a pile 

 of logs, appearing and disappearing with the suddenness of a mouse, 

 diving into one crevice in a wood pile, and popping out of another in 

 some unexpected jjlace. His movements are exceedingly quick and sud- 

 den, accompanied by frequent teetering of the body and nervous jerk- 

 ing of the upturned tail, chattering to himself the while, or stopping 

 occasionally to pour out one or two strains of his joyous song, for he 

 is a merry little chap and seems to enjoy his elusive ways. We may 

 watch him thus, if we stand quietly, but if we move toward him, he 

 immediately darts into the thickest cover and disappears ; it is useless 

 to pursue him, for he has a tantalizing way of keeping out of sight 

 ahead of us and mocking us with his derisive chatter; he is more than 

 a match for us in the game of hide and seek. C. J. Maynard (1896) 

 says : "I have frequently seen these wrens in isolated bushes and, after 

 seeing them vanish, have beat about the place where they disappeared, 

 then through it without starting them, afterwards finding that the 

 wily birds had escaped by running with great rapidity beneath the 

 grass and weeds to the next thicket." 



Although this wren does not like to be pursued, or even approached 

 too closely, he has sufficient curiosity and boldness to do his own ap- 

 proaching. If we sit or stand still in some inconspicuous position, and 

 especially if we make a squeaking noise, he will be one of the first 

 birds to show himself and may come within a few feet of us to look 

 us over ; but a move on our part causes him to vanish immediately. 



His shyness and timidity are apparent enough, especially in his 

 woodland haunts, and it is difficult to surprise the female on her nest, 

 from which she slips away quietly and unobserved. But the pair have 

 often shown remarkable friendliness and confidence in human beings 

 by building their nests in and about our premises, by coming to our 

 feeding stations, and by roosting under the shelter of our homes. These 

 wrens have been known to roost several times in abandoned hornets' 

 nests; for example, Prof. Maurice Brooks (1932) writes: 



Some time during the fall of 1927 my father found, and carried to the house, 

 a verp large nest built by white-faced hornets {Vespa maculata). This nest was 



