TROGLODYTID^ — THE WRENS AND MOCKING-THRUSHES. 91 



An adult 3 from Brookville, Indiana (No. 386, coll. A. W. Butler; Feb. 10.1881), has the 

 sides and flanks distinctly barred, as in a Wheatland specimen, while the upper part 

 of the breast is marked, entirely across, with rather scattered and small, though very 

 distinct, dusky specks. The chin and upper part ol the throat are dull white, as are also 

 the lower breast and upper abiomen, centrally, but the jugulum, sides, and flanks are 

 oehraceous, the flanks even tinged with rufous. The measurements are, wing 3.40, tail 

 2.20, eulmen .6S, tarsus .85. 



In southern Illinois this bird is exceedingly abundant, frequenting 

 chiefly the woods along streams, and rarely found about dwellings, 

 although he occasionally visits the vicinity of farm houses and even 

 the outskirts of towns ; but he seldom if ever fixes his habitation in 

 close proximity to the abodes of man. His nest is built in hollow 

 stumps or logs, or knotholes, in the woods, and is exceedingly diffi- 

 cult to find. His notes are varied, and are all characterized by 

 great power — almost, in fact, disproportionate to the size of the 

 bird, even for one of this family. His clear whistling song, although 

 rather monotonous, is sweet and of unexcelled power, being quite as 

 loud as the strongest notes of the Mocking-bird or Brown Thrasher 

 — in fact they are probably more so, and can be heard for a greater 

 distance. 



On clear, cold days in midwinter, when the earth is snow-clad, 

 and the air is still and crisp, there may be heard, from the edge 

 of the woods, perhaps half a mile away, an exceedingly loud cheer- 

 ful whistling song — wiUy-ivmj' idlhj-ioay' willy-ivay' — repeated at 

 short intervals, and resembling somewhat in accent the whistle of 

 the Cardinal Grosbeak, but far louder, and altogether a finer per- 

 formance. This is the song of the Carolina Wren. Some have 

 called him the Mocking Wren; but I have never heard one sing 

 any song but his own, and hundreds of times has his characteristic 

 melody greeted my ears. 



The Carolina Wren is a very prolific bird, raising regularly two, 

 and not unfrequently three broods during the season, and hatching 

 on an average five young each brood. 



Mr. Nelson records in his paper (page 34), a double nest of this 

 species found by Mr. John L. Eidgway, at Mount Carmel, "which 

 was obtained by him in the bottoms. The two nests were of about 

 equal size and composed principally of moss and grass. The con- 

 tiguous sides were slightly united. Both nests were constructed the 

 same season, and when found one side contained half fledged young. " 



