308 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



GENUS THRYOTHORUS VIEILLOT. 

 Thryothorus ludovicianus (LATH.). 



Carolina Wren ; Mocking Wren ; Great Carolina Wren 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 73). 



Bill about as long as head, slender, almost straight, except at tip which is de- 

 curved, and obsoletely notched ; wings and tail about equal in length ; wings are 

 rounded and tail is nearly even ; maxilla (dried skins) brownish ; mandible paler ; 

 legs pale yellowish- brown ; above reddish-brown, brightest on rump; throat and 

 line over eye whitish ; rest of lower parts, yellowish-brown (decidedly rusty in 

 some individuals and paler in others) becoming darkest on flanks and tibiae ; lower 

 tail-coverts whitish and rusty with transverse dusky bars ; middle and greater wing- 

 coverts usually have small white spots. The brownish wings, tail (above) and upper 

 tail-coverts more or less distinctly barred transversely with dusky. 



Length about 6 inches ; extent about 1\ ; eyes brownish. 



Habitat. Eastern United States (rare toward the northern border), west to the 

 plains. Rare in southern New England. 



The Carolina, the largest of all our wrens, is a resident, and, although 

 reported as occurring in nearly all parts of the state except in the higher 

 mountainous regions, the species is much more plentiful in the lower half 

 of the state than in the northern half. In some parts of the southeast 

 and southwestern sections of Pennsylvania this shy, secretive and gifted 

 songster is quite abundant. The Mocking Wren, as many term this 

 bird, inhabits almost every locality, but he prefers to dwell in woodland, 

 ravines and bushy places in the vicinity of water. He spends much of 

 his time about brush piles, old logs and in the dead tops of fallen trees 

 in woods. Like the Brown Thrush, or Indigo-bird, he often perches in 

 the topmost branch of a tree or bush, and pours forth his loud, varied 

 and melodious song. When feeding these birds like a creeper, may 

 occasionally be observed circling about trunks of trees collecting beetles, 

 larvae and spiders, from the crevices of the rough bark. Often, in winter, 

 this species, like the little Winter Wren, comes about houses and can 

 be seen hiding in wood-piles or prying into holes and other dark places 

 about buildings. The rather bulky nest, of leaves, grasses, feathers, 

 moss, etc., is sometimes in the interior of sheds or other outbuildings, 

 but usually it constructs its nest in holes in stumps or logs, in secluded 

 situations. I once found a nest with young in a hole among roots of a 

 tree in the side of a bank along a creek, the nest was situated about 

 three feet above the water. The eggs are usually six or seven in num- 

 ber. I have seen this bird picking at grapes in the late fall and winter, 

 possibly he sometimes eats small fruits. 



