112 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [1891 



kind of climbing different from that of the woodpecker. This 

 bird is easily recognized by its notes, wh^gh sound like " quank," 

 and can be heard for some distance. It may be found in woods 

 of all kinds, and also among the trees that border the rivers, 

 which it does not leave unless forced to do so. It may not be 

 amiss to mention the older and better known English name, 

 White-bellied Nuthatch, but the name above given is to be pre- 

 ferred, as the difference in the two species is more marked on the 

 breast than on the belly. 



Thryothorus ludovicianus (Lath.). Carolina Wren. 



The powerful and very musical notes of this bird command 

 our attention. Especially is this so during winter, when our 

 migratory songsters have left us and our remaining ones are 

 voiceless. Now here, now there, we hear the notes, and often 

 considerable time is required to locate the singer. We become 

 familiar with the song long before we know the bird that makes 

 it. Wilson represents this song by the words, " Sweet William," 

 but some imagination is required to make the sounds coincide. 

 It may be more accurately given by the syllables, " Dee-deed-la, 

 dee-deed-la," generally speaking, but sometimes the sounds come 

 nearer " Dee-deea." The musical notation would be about 



g g^. g- gi. g g gj.^ g g. 



-F- - -- -- "- 



tt--T-E-5-r 



I have often wondered at the seeming indifference of this bird 

 to the seasonal changes of our climate. It has been heard peal- 

 ing forth (sit venia verbo) its strains in summer when the ther- 

 mometer registered ninety degrees, and again on one occasion in 

 winter, when the temperature was below twenty degrees. The 

 bird is usually found in bushes, shrubs and small trees near 

 some brook or rivulet. One specimen was obtained from the 

 top of a rather tall tree, but that abode was so unusual that a 

 memorandum was made of the fact. This wren is by no means 

 uncommon, neither is it abundant. It is a resident bird, and no 

 difference has been observed in its distribution during either 

 winter or summer. 



