FLORIDA WREN. 645 



two or \\\i\\' l)i()()(ls. T1k'_\ .iix' fxcei'diiigly sensitive' about ln'ing di.sturhcd at tliis season 

 and 1 liave fiLijiientlv found nests tiiat were l)eing completed but, upon visiting them 

 again, uou.ld invariably lind that the binls iiad abandoned them. It will be seen l)y the 

 o.vaniples given that the Gr.'at Carolina Wrens possess sufficient reason to avail theuiselves 

 of surrounding eiieunistanees when thej wish to build, even turning the lial)itati()ns of 

 man to aeeount. But what particularly distinguishes these birds from many others is 

 their loud ;uid cheerv song; jierched on slightly elevated position they will pour forth such 

 <'lear and t'.n-illing l,i_\s that the most carele.^s observer will ])ause to listen and admire 

 their power. Tliere are no birds which excel them in the fre(juency in which this melody 

 is given; from early morning until late at night tliey may be heard singing. Seasons as 

 well as time are utterly disregarded by them, for their harmonious strains are given with 

 as nnich earnestness in December as during the breeding time. The remembrance of the 

 midodies ever brinu' t-o ni\' mind pleasant N'isions of daik ereen foliage and the rustliu"- 

 jialm leaves which grow so luxuriantly in this land; for we were always greeted bv these 

 l)irds whenever we ])itched our tents by the side of a hannnock or tiiicket, and 1 think 

 no one, w'.io has heard them as ol'ti n as 1 have, will hesitate to place the (Ireat Cai'olina 

 Wren amoiig the (inest song biixls of Florida, 



Troglodytes ludovicianus miamensis- 

 Florida Wren 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sri! Sr. Cu. .Si/.r. sliii-Utly lai-ji;c'r than that of the typical Caroluia Wren ainlthc bill and loot are 

 !ai-;j,\'r witli the color deeiiei', c'sjiecially licl'iw, where it is of a rich, nearly uniform, l)l•l_l^^nish red. 



OliSERVATlONS. 



This interesting sub species, reniarkable for its limited distribution, beiiii,' confined to extreme Southern 

 Florida, was described a few years ap:o by Mr. Ridii;eway. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Len;4th, from •",.:;( ) to .').bO; stretch. 7 OS to 7.2.") : wing, 2.^-) to --'.oo ; tail, 2.2."i to 2.(10; bill, .7."") to .80; 

 tarsus, .I'D to .!*■"). 



IIARITS. 

 I found tlie Florida Wren cpiite common on the Miami River and in its vicinity in 

 tlie winter and spring of 187G. The song appears to differ somewhat from that of the 

 more northern form. I (iiid that I have rec-ordeil tlnit I heard them uttering ('urious 

 gutteral notes, and thtit the regidtir song consisted of a continuous stniin of rapidly repeated 

 notes, yet no two wrens sing exa(;tly ivlike. They were very iucjuisitive tuid would gen- 

 tirally come out of the thick bushes, into wdiat they pliuige when approached, to peer at 

 the ptisser by. But they show theinseKes for a moment only and again disa|ipear. I 

 have seen them scratch on tlie ground after the manner of the thrushes. They ;i[ipear to 

 prefer iis ii dwelling jiiace the low ])laces that tii'e covered with ti thick giowth of \ines,' 

 etc. Mr. II. W. llenshaw ctdled niv attention to a deserted nest oJ"a Florida, Wren which 



