THE OOLOGIST. 



143 



The Wrens of North Carolina. 

 J. W. P. Smithwick, Sans Souci, N. C. 



Carolina Wren. (Thryothorus ludovi- 

 cianus). As its name implies it is the 

 Wren of Carolina, inhabiting the state 

 from the wave beaten coast to the 

 grandeur of the western mountains. 

 There are perhaps more of this species 

 in the state than all the rest, put to- 

 gether, leaving out the little Winter 

 Wren, (Troglodytes kyemalis). 



Early spring mornings about the first 

 bird you hear is the 'Long-tailed Wren" 

 [It is generally known by this name.] 

 sitting on some favorite limb or fence, 

 warbling forth his unexcelled ditty to 

 the rising sun and his mate that is just 

 in that clump of briars near j there. He 

 is a faithful husband and on no account 

 will he desert his mate. They are 

 affectionate parents and 1 have often 

 seen them following fine broods of 

 young Wrens, trying as if it seemed to 

 get them to do this way or that, which 

 of course was resented by the young- 

 sters if it did not exactly agree with 

 their wishes. They are free and want 

 to enjoy their freedom. Who blames 

 them? 1 do not. 



The Carolina Wren is rather an early 

 nester, and nestbuilding often com- 

 mences in March, and any time from 

 then until the middle of June. I know 

 that they raise two broods in one sea- 

 son, and am inclined to think that 

 some pairs raise three broods, as I have 

 seen three sets of young near the same 

 place. In the sets that I have taken I 

 find five the usual complement of eggs; 

 variation, four to ■ six, and in rare 

 instances, seven. 



Bewick's Wren, (Thryomanes bewicki), 

 is a rare winter visitor, but perhaps 

 oftener seen on or near the coast than 

 in the western part of the state 



House Wren, {Troglodytes aedon). — 



Rare transient. Possibly may breed. 



Winter Wren, [Troglodytes kyemalis.) 



A eommou winter visitant in the east- 

 ern and middle section, but Mr. John 

 S. Cairns reports it as rare in Bun- 

 combe County. In this locality no 

 other small bird is more seen (except 

 the gregarious species) than the Winter 

 Wren. • Every pile of brush has its little 

 occupant. They leave in March for 

 their northern hones, and return in 

 November. 



Long-billed Marsh Wren, (Telmato- 

 dytes palustrfis>) Tolerable common 

 migrant. 



There is a legend - better a "saying' 1 

 — among the people of this section, that 

 one day a Hawk caught a Wren that was 

 trespassing, and was going to eat him, 

 when his pity was moved by the hard 

 pleadings of the Wren. The Hawk 

 desisted for a while, but after all let the 

 Wren go upon his promising the Hawk 

 that he would never be caught Hying 

 higher than the fences. To-day if you 

 ask auy of the people why a Wren 

 keeps close to the ground, they will at 

 once enter into half an hour's job to tell 

 you that about the "Hawk and Wren." 



There is another such tale about the 

 Buzzard, giving the reason why their 

 heads are bald. Perhaps I may give 

 it to you later.' 



What Causes the Quick Notes of the 

 Whippoorwill? 



In the Oologist for Aug., 1890, page 

 155, the "Arkansaw Hoosier," writes 

 among other things of the Whippoor- 

 will, and says: 



"Often when whistling they seem to 

 get excited, or in a hurry, and repeat 

 the words very rapidly for a time." 



The following incident was observed 

 under my window. One evening, be- 

 fore it was too dark to see, and while 

 we were sitting quietly without any 

 light in the room, a Whippoorwill lit in 

 the yard, some eight or ten feet from 

 the house and began his song. He had 

 not suns: long- until another lit within 



