392 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



and evening, his unrivalled strains of music, which are heard long 

 ere the performer can be seen. 



So far as I have observed, the Thrasher is somewhat local in its 

 distribution, there being certain sections of country of considerable 

 extent where, without apparent cause, it is entirely wanting. 



It occurs throughout Ontario and crosses the boundary to Mani- 

 toba and the North-West. 



During September it retires from Ontario. 



Genus THRYOTHORUS Vieillot. 



Subgenus THRYOTHORUS. 



THRYOTHORUS LUDOVICIANUS (Lath.). 



297. Carolina Wren. (718) 



Adnlf male : — Upper parts, biownish-i'ed, a l)roa(l streak of yellowish-white 

 commencing at the nostril and passing over the eye along tlie side of the head, 

 a band of reddish behind the eye; under the eye, a spot of dusky gray; throat, 

 dull white ; lower parts and sides of the neck, pale reddish -buff ; wings and 

 tail, barred with blackish-brown, the outer webs of the lateral tail feathers 

 more distinctly barred; secondary and first row of small coverts tipped with 

 dull white; lower tail coverts of the same color barred with black. Length, 

 6 inches; extent, nearly 7 inches; tail, 2.25. 



Hab. — Eastern United States (rare towards tlie northern border), west to 

 the Plains. Rare in Southern New England. 



Nest, a large coarse structure, composed of grass, liay, leaves, etc., lined 

 with horse-hair and feathers. Found in holes in trees, wood piles, low bushes, 

 sometimes arched over. 



Eggs, four to six, creamy-white or buft', thickly sprinkled with brownish- 

 pink. 



I have now the pleasure of introducing a species I have long 

 expected to meet in Ontario. It is our near neighbor and a strong, 

 active bird, well able to make the journey from its usual summer 

 resorts to Canada, but it is evidently a shy visitor and not decidedly 

 migratory, many of the species remaining over the winter near the 

 nesting place. It is abundant in the south, common in the middle 

 Eastern States, and is also found, though less frequently, in New 

 York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Ohio. 



With this record before us, we might reasonably expect a casual 

 visitor, but it was not until very recently that I learned thi'ough 



