38 TROGLODYTES LUDOVICIANUS. 



HABITS. 



The Great Carolina Wrens are birds of retiring habits, in fact they may be called shy, for, 

 upon the approach of man, they instantly hide themselves in the thick undergrowth of the 

 hummocks which they frequent, but if one stands quietly near their place of concealment for a 

 few moments he will hear a series of low notes and presently a Wren will be seen peering 

 cautiously out from among the leaves ; then another will appear, for they are usually found in 

 pairs. They will not venture into open view, however, but will hop quickly about with their 

 upraised tails which they will occasionally jerk in a nervous manner; then, upon the slightest 

 movement indicative of danger will plunge at once into the cover, uttering a querulous cry, 

 which they continue as long as the supposed enemy keeps at a little distance but, upon his 

 near approach, the birds will become quiet and endeavor to escape from the immediate 

 neighborhood without showing themselves; this they generally accomplish with such skill that 

 the observer wonders what has become of them. I have frequently seen these wrens in isolated 

 bushes and, after seeing them vanish, have beat about the place where they disappeared, then 

 through it without starting them, afterwards finding that the wily birds had escaped by running 

 Avith great rapidity beneath the grass and weeds to the next thicket. Even while nesting it is 

 difficult to find them, for although the* female is sitting, she will generally manage to fly from 

 the nest so quickly as not to be visible, for she takes care to place every available obstacle 

 between herself and the object from which she wishes to escape. I have found several nests 

 yet have never succeeded in surprising the birds near them ; but although such has been my 

 experience, one of my companions, Mr. C. A. Thurston, was enabled, by using extreme caution, 

 to capture one on the nest which was built in the top of a stump but a few feet from the 

 ground. I know of no birds which are more variable in selecting places in which to build their 

 nests. The usual situations chosen by the Wrens on Indian River were at the bottoms of the 

 "boots" of the Palmettoes. The "boot" is the base of the dead leaf stalks which adhere to the 

 tree after the top has decayed and fallen off, they are quite broad, slightly concave, and extend 

 upward in an oblique direction leaving a space between them and the trunk ; the fronds in falling 

 often cover the top with a fibrous debris which is impervious to water and the cavities beneath 

 form a snug nesting place for the Carolina Wrens. Many more nests will be found in these 

 situations than elsewhere, especially in the wilderness ; but I once found one built between two 

 Palmetto leaves which had dropped over in such a position that their surfaces were horizontal 

 and only three or four inches apart, forming a floor as well as a roof for the home of the Wrens. 

 They had conveyed a large amount of suitable material into this place and formed a cozy 

 domicile. The fronds were swayed by every passing breeze, yet in such a manner as not to 

 injure the structure which was between them. 



I have spoken of an instance of their building in a stump which appears to be a somewhat 

 common practice ; they will also breed in holes of trees ; one nest which came under my notice 

 was placed in the fork of an orange tree, but a few rods from an inhabited dwelling ; they will 

 also take up au abode in buildings, and Capt. Dummett assured me that two or three pairs 

 inhabited his boat house, which was placed over the water, every season. Mr. Henshaw called 

 my attention to a deserted structure formed by this species which was placed in a niche of a 

 wall in the old stone barracks at Miami. I have also known of the eggs being taken from the 

 interior of a barn, the birds having found entrance through a knot hole. 



This species begin to breed about the first of April and continue until June, rearing 

 two or three broods. They are exceedingly sensitive about being disturbed at this season, and 

 I have frequently found nests that were being completed but, upon visiting them again, would 

 invariably find that the birds had abandoned them. It will be seen by the examples given that 

 the Great Carolina Wrens possess sufficient reason to avail themselves of surrounding 



