44 THE Brirps Asout Us. 
Writing of the song of the winter-wren, Torrey 
states,— 
“The great distinction of the winter-wren’s melody is its marked 
rhythm and accent, which give it a martial, fife-like character. 
Note tumbles over note in the true wren manner, and the strain comes 
to an end so suddenly that for the first few times you are likely to 
think that the bird has been interrupted. In the middle is a long 
indrawn note, much like one of the canary’s.” 
But if the people of the Middle States and south- 
ward are denied the privilege of hearing the shy 
winter-wren, we have some consolation in the fact 
that the Carolina wren is a resident bird, and stirs up 
all the quiet places, whether in the woods or on the 
plains, far from our dwellings or sitting on our door- 
steps. The Carolina wren comes to stay, when it 
decides to come at all, and makes itself immediately 
at home; and no bird varies so much in its fancies 
as to locality. I have known them to occupy a box- 
nest in the chicken-house, filling it nearly full of sticks 
and feathers, and to have a cave in the steep hill-side. 
A huge hollow in an old locust-tree was once occu- 
pied, the birds ousting a tufted titmouse, and a corner 
of the hay-mow, then empty, was selected, and posses- 
sion held until the rats disputed the claim. 
Like all wrens, the Carolina, or “ Mocker,” is lively, 
and while it sits in one place when singing, it droops 
its wings and trembles all over. The song is chiefly 
remarkable for its clear, fife-like tone and the great 
variety of its utterances; but I never have found that 
it imitates other birds. Other birds have notes some- 
what similar, and whether it is this wren or a tufted 
titmouse that whistles fe-co must be determined by 
