212 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



repertoire; the songs of other birds are often suggested, or perhaps 

 imitated, leading to some confusion at times, but it has a very distinct 

 and cliaracteristic song of its own, which is unmistakable. 



The song is a loud, ringing combination of rich, whistling notes, 

 given with a definite and emphatic swing and a decided accent ; it can 

 be heard for a long distance and is so pleasing in its cheering effect 

 that it can hardly pass unnoticed by even the most casual observer. 

 The phrases consist of two to four syllables, usually two ©r three, and 

 each phrase is repeated two or three times with short intervals between 

 the phrases. Among the 28 references to the song of this bird that 

 I have consulted, I find an almost endless variety of interpretations, 

 expressed in human words or in expressive syllables. I shall select 

 only a few of the best of each which, to my mind, most clearly recall 

 the song. Among the human words, those that please me best are 

 "tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle" ; others are "sweet heart, sweet heart," 

 "sweet William, sweet William," "come to me, come to me," "Richelieu, 

 Richelieu, Richelieu," "Jew-Pet-er, Jew-Pet-er," "tree- double-tree, 

 double-tree, double-tree," "sugar to eat, sugar to eat, sugar to eat, 

 sugar," "which jailer, w^hich jailer," etc. All these phrases seem to 

 suggest what is the most characteristic song of the Carolina wren; 

 some of them may also suggest the song of the Maryland yellow- 

 throat, but there is a great difference in the tone and quality. 



Similar suggestions of the same song are found in the many differ- 

 ent syllables used to describe it, such as whee-udel, whee-udel, whee- 

 udel; che-whortel^ che-whortel; jo-i'eaper^ jo-repar, jo-ree/ willy- 

 toay^ willy-way ; turtree^ turtree^ tuftvee; and there are many other 

 similar renderings. 



There are, of course, various other songs, notably a loud whistle 

 like that of the cardinal and one that sounds like the peto^ peto^ peto 

 of the tufted titmouse, as suggested by some of the above syllables. 

 Songs have been heard that resemble the rattle of the kingfisher, the 

 call of the flicker, and songs of the pine warbler, towhee, red-winged 

 blackbird, meadowlark, Baltimore oriole, bluebird, catbird, white- 

 eyed vireo, scarlet tanager, and song sparrow, all of which have given 

 the wren credit as an imitator of birds that it has heard, and it has 

 been called the "mocking wren." Some of these songs may be actual 

 imitations, but many of them may be only expressions of its own great 

 versatility in song. Nuttall (1832) goes into this matter at great 

 length, describing many songs, and adds: "Amidst these imitations 

 and variations, which seem almost endless, and lead the stranger to 

 imagine himself, even in the depth of winter, surrounded by all the 

 quaint choristers of the summer, there is still, with our capricious 

 and tuneful mimic, a favorite theme more constantly and regularly 

 repeated than the rest." 



In addition to its varied songs, the Carolina wren has a number of 



