314 Birds of Xorth Carolina 



a back veranda, in a tin wash-basin on the mantel of a negro's deserted cabin, in a 

 broken gourd carelessh- tossed on a grape-arbor, and in a cap hiinging against the 

 latticed wall of an outhouse. The nest may be placed also in holes in banks along 

 roads, among the tangled roots of upturned trees, and luidtn- brush-piles. It is a 

 bulky affair, composed of grass, dead leaves, moss, cotton, rootlets, or any other 

 convenient and desirable material. Sometimes it is partly domed over. Laying 

 usually begins in early April, and from four to six egg' are deposited. These are 

 whitish in color, thickly sprinkled with brownish spots all over. Size .72 x .50. 

 Apparently this wren regularly raises two broods. 



The song is loud and ringing and is kept up throughout the whole year, which, 

 so far as we are aware, is not the case with any other of our birds. Its notes are 

 translated by some of our peo])le into the words, ''jo-rceper, jo-reeper, jo-rec," 

 while others translate the song into the words "freedom, freedom , freedom." Some- 

 times it is called the "Mocking \\'rcn." All winter long, no matter how deei) the 

 snow, you may hear the .singing of this wren, esiiecially on bright, clear days. 



This wren has no undesirable qualities, and is eminently deserving of the fullest 

 protection. Probably domestic cats are its worst enemies. 



Genus Thryomanes (Scl.) 

 319. Thryomanes bewicki bewicki (Aud.). Bewick's Wren. 



Description. — Above dark einniiniott-hroirn withoul bars or streaks; feathers of rump with 

 conccaletl, downy, white spots; outer vane of primaries little if at all barreil; central tail-feathers 

 grayish-brown, barred, at least on sides, with l)Iaek; outer ones blaek, tipped with grayish; the 

 outer one or two with more or less bars on the outer vane; a white or ImfTy line over eye; imder- 

 parts grayish white; flanks brownish. L., 5.00; W., 2.30; T., 2.10; B., '.oO. (Chap., Birds of 

 E. N. A.) 



Range. — Ea-stem United States, mainly west of the ,\lleghanies. 



Itdiuje in North Carolina. — Summer visitor in tlie mountain region; winter visitor in the central 

 region. 



This wren is known to be a <'oinm()U sunuiicr visitor in the moimtains, arriving 

 there about the end of March. Elsewhere in the State it has been recorded only 

 from Statesville and Raleigh. .\t the latter ])lace it is a rare but regular winter 

 visitor, confining itself almost entirely within the citj' limits, and has been ol)served 

 as early as September 24 and as late as April 3. 



In the mountains it is far more conunou, being apjiarently confined to the 

 neighborhood of human habitations, particularly in the small towns of that region. 

 The localities from which we have records are Andrews, Blantyre, Blowing Rock, 

 Asheville, Weavcrville, Morganton, Highlands, and Sunlnirst, Haywood Comity. 



The nest is similar to that of the Carolina Wren, and is Iniilt in as great a variety 

 of situations. The eggs also resemble those of that species, but are smaller, aver- 

 aging in size about .64 x .49, and are also less heavily colored. According to Cairns, 

 it nests in Bimcombe Count}' in early April, and C. S. Brimley found a nest con- 

 taining young birds at BlantjTe in early Maj-, 1908. 



This species is most easily recognized by its small size and long black tail. It is 

 a very fine singer, the notes at times somewhat suggesting those of the Song Spar- 

 row, but they are more m\isical. 



