44 THE BIRDS ABOUT Us. 



Writing of the song of the winter-wren, Torrey 

 states, 



" The great distinction of the winter-wren's melody is its marked 

 rhythm and accent, which give it a martial, fife-like character. 

 Note tumbles over note in the true wren manner, and the strain comes 

 to an end so suddenly that for the first few times you are likely to 

 think that the bird has been interrupted. In the middle is a long 

 indrawn note, much like one of the canary's." 



But if the people of the Middle States and south- 

 ward are denied the privilege of hearing the shy 

 winter-wren, we have some consolation in the fact 

 that the Carolina wren is a resident bird, and stirs up 

 all the quiet places, whether in the woods or on the 

 plains, far from our dwellings or sitting on our door- 

 steps. The Carolina wren comes to stay, when it 

 decides to come at all, and makes itself immediately 

 at home ; and no bird varies so much in its fancies 

 as to locality. I have known them to occupy a box- 

 nest in the chicken-house, filling it nearly full of sticks 

 and feathers, and to have a cave in the steep hill-side. 

 A huge hollow in an old locust-tree was once occu- 

 pied, the birds ousting a tufted titmouse, and a corner 

 of the hay-mow, then empty, was selected, and posses- 

 sion held until the rats disputed the claim. 



Like all wrens, the Carolina, or " Mocker," is lively, 

 and while it sits in one place when singing, it droops 

 its wings and trembles all over. The song is chiefly 

 remarkable for its clear, fife-like tone and the great 

 variety of its utterances ; but I never have found that 

 it imitates other birds. Other birds have notes some- 

 what similar, and whether it is this wren or a tufted 

 titmouse that whistles pe-to must be determined by 



