THE GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 69 



was necessar_v for accommodation of the nest, was divided bv a partition, 

 which the bird had built across it. leaving an interior space for the nest 

 and an aperture just large enough for the birds to pass with ease. This 

 partition, which effectually blocked up the passage to the nest, was com- 

 posed of pebbles. A third nest was discovered so far under a large 

 solid rock, and with so small an entrance, that it could not be secured. 

 The passage to this nest was also blocked with small stones. 



46. THE CANON TATREN. 



CATHERPES MEXICANUS. var. CONSPERSUS. 



White-throated Wren. 



This wren, lately .separated from its more southern type, the 

 Mexican wren, is confined to the smith middle rcg-iou of North 

 America, and is at home in the mountain j^orges and caves ; but 

 it also enters towns without reserve, and makes use of the con- 

 veniences of man's erection wherever its food is present. It is 

 not uncommon at San Antonio, Texas, where it breeds. In 

 respect to the Mexican typical race, from which the variety 

 does not much differ, Mr. Sumichrast writes that it nests in 

 houses, in ruined walls or among the roof-tiles, skilfullv con- 

 structing its home of spiders' webs. In the wilderness it 

 chooses much the same building-sites as the rock wren, and 

 makes much the same sort of a nest. The eggs are said to be 

 four in number. One specimen before me measures about .So 

 by .60, is regularly ovate in outline and not pointed, as the 

 books say it ought to be. The color is pure white, touched 

 not numerously, except in the shape of a small cap over the 

 butt (and there not very thickly) with minute points of brownish- 

 red and purple tints. It is a very delicately patterned ^%%. 



47. THE GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 



THRYOTHORUS LUDOVICIANUS {Lai/i.) Bp. 



Mocking- Wren. 



This wren, celebrated for its mocking powers, belongs to the 

 southeastern states., and northward into the valley of the Ohio 



