226 



THE OOLOGIST. 



it being rare or local morth of the Ohio 

 river, and is not common even in Ken- 

 tucky, but as you go south it becomes 

 moi'e abundant, and in Louisiana it is 

 one of the most common birds. Here 

 you can hear the Carolina Wren singing 

 everywhere from house tops, from the 

 bush and briar, one bird seeming to an- 

 swer the other in singing. 



It is a resident in the south, and 

 about the beginning of March the 

 breeding season begins: Eggs maybe 

 found in the latter part of March, or in 

 April, and as late as July, showing that 

 two and even three broods are raised in 

 a season. The nest is placed indiscrim- 

 inately in houses, hedges, tin cans, gut- 

 ters, or anywhere. My first set for 1892 

 of this species was taken April 8th, the 

 nest being wedged between a drooping 

 shingle and the roof, on the inside of an 

 old cabin. The. nest was composed of 

 fine and coarse grasses, corn leaves and 

 shucks, and leaves, and warmly lined 

 with feathers and hoi-se hair. 



About this time an article came out 

 in the Oologist referring -to the Caro- 

 lina Wren's fondness for building in ar- 

 tificial nests such as tin cans, boxes, etc. 

 The writer stated that he had taken sev- 

 eral sets from tin cans that he had plac- 

 ed in various situations. I determined 

 to try the experiment myself, so seeing 

 an old milk can lying near a deserted 

 cabin frequented by the wrens, I put it 

 up, and awaited the result. 



About two weeks afterward I visited 

 my can, and to my delight a bird flew 

 out, which I at once recognized as the 

 wren. 



Putting my hand in the nest, I drew 

 out live pretty eggs, which subsequent- 

 ly proved to be fresh. 

 The industrious birds had completely 

 filled the can, a rather large one, with 

 the usual material, leaving only 

 a small cavity for the eggs. 



Another set of five was taken from 

 behind a board nailed to a post of an 

 old house, and several others in similar 

 situations. 



Much has been wi'itten about the song 

 of the Carolina Wren, and it surely de- 

 serves all that has been said about it. 

 Its notes are remai'kably sweet and loud 

 for so small a bird, and in some of their 

 variations greatly resemble the song of 

 the Cardinal, though lacking in volume 

 and mellowness. 



The eggs of this Wren are from four 

 to six in number, lightly specked with 

 dots of reddish brown. The average 

 size is about .73 x.60. 



The second member of the genus, the 

 Bewick's Wren is a smaller and plainer 

 bird than the above. Its habitat is from 

 the Alleghanies across the Mississippi 

 Valley to the plains. It is tolerably 

 abundant here, and I have fortunately 

 been able to observe many of its habits. 

 The mating season begins in the 

 latter part of March and eggs may be 

 found by the middle of April. Sometimes 

 they lay a second set as I have taken 

 eggs as late as' July 8th. 



The nest, like that of the Carolina 

 Wren, is built almost anywhere, but of- 

 ten differs in construction. Sometimes 

 a nest will be built like that of the Car- 

 olina Wren, but such are rare, the typi- 

 cal nest being of large twigs, as large 

 as those used by the Robin, and almost 

 destitute of lining. A nest such as I 

 have described is above the porch of our 

 house, and has been occupied for near- 

 ly ten years by a family of these Wrens. 

 Another nest which is exactly like the 

 above in construction, and has been 

 occupied for an equal length of time, 

 is on a small- shelf over the door of 

 an outhouse. Although people pass 

 within a foot of these nests all the time 

 the Wrens beyond scolding now and then 

 never seem to I e disturbed and gener- 

 ally raise their broods in peace. 



A habit I noticed in connection with 

 these Wrens is similar to one possessed 

 by their cousins, the Long-billed Marsh 

 Wrens ( Cistrot horns palustris) ; namely : 

 that the male, in the exuberance of the 

 nesting spirit, builds a small nest of his 



