THE CAROLINA WREN. 157 



This, however, did not last long. In the course of a week 

 they had settled all their little differences, and hunted 

 the spiders in the out-buildings, and early insects every- 

 where, in company. The song of the male bird was now 

 more varied and frequent, yet never with a trace of 

 mimicry of the notes of other birds. Its song in volume 

 exceeded even the clear whistle of the cardinal grosbeak, 

 and could be heard distinctly for half a mile during a 

 still morning. 



March 18th was a pleasant, spring-like day, and an 

 early Maryland yellow-throat was singing merrily. This 

 drew me out of doors, and I noticed directly that the 

 Carolina wrens had commenced nest-building. Both birds 

 were busy carrying long grass, strips of inner bark of 

 shrubs, and an odd thread or two that were found near 

 by. One bird examined the clothes-line carefully, but 

 could not succeed in unraveling any portion. 



Following the wrens, I found they had located on the 

 upper surface of one of the plates of the frame of the 

 barn. The nest was directly under the roof, and quite 

 filled the space between the upper surface of the plate 

 and the shingles, about six inches. The nest, when com- 

 pleted except the lining, was quite a foot in length. It 

 was, in fact, a mere shapeless mass of loose material. 

 Into this the female wren burrowed and remained most 

 of the time, while the male bird brought softer fibers and 

 chicken feathers. With these the cavity was lined and 

 the nest completed. 



March 24th an egg was laid, and another each day 

 until the 29th, when the hen commenced sitting. Dur- 

 ing the days that followed, the male bird was very active 

 in supplying his mate with food, and took his turn in 

 caring for the eggs, but evidently under protest ; this I 

 conclude from the super-merry songs he uttered on being 



