14 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



A Feathered Caruso 



(From a chapter on the Carolina Wren in Hess' forthcoming- book en- 

 titled — Mississippi Valley Birds at Home.) 



Carolina is the giant of the eastern branch of the Trogloditae 

 or Wren family and a wonderful vocalist. Caruso-like in volume 

 and melody, he also exhibits the nervous erratic temperament 

 usually stamped so indelibly upon the stars of the stage world. 

 Unlike the operatic stellars, however, our Carolina objects to 

 the close scrutiny of his admirers. 



Nothing suits him quite so well as to be heard at a distance. 

 Even a glimpse of a bird spy stalking him for a nearer approach 

 and he is gone with the sauciest flirt of his abbreviated tail. 

 Just neough of his neat brown coat is seen to prove aggravating 

 to the observer. For a brief period he darts out into the open 

 but before the focus of the field glasses may be properly adjusted 

 he is back in the brush pile or eclipsed by the old stump. 



Perhaps none but the Chat provokes so many impatient ex- 

 clamations from the bird lover so intent upon observing his 

 many charms. One characteristic he cannot conceal however, 

 his wonderful melodious song. It has never occurred to me that 

 Carolina desires to hide this God-given talent under a bushel. 

 Did he not thoroughly enjoy sounding out these perfect tones to 

 reverberate through the woodlands, he would scarcely be so in- 

 cessantly engaged in the pleasing pastime. Privately I think the 

 gifted bird realizes his superiority over his feathered neighbors 

 and takes a secret delight in silencing the feebler efforts offered 

 in his vicinity. 



Again I believe his exceptional modesty is only a bluff. I 

 have very good reasons for thinking so. You may test it your- 

 self the next time you meet Carolina in the woodlands. I have 

 learned to take my share in the game of hide and seek when a 

 Carolina Wren gives me the cold shoulder and disappears in the 

 underbrush. I have found him saturated with that human weak- 

 ness known as curiosity. It is rare fun to beat him at his own 

 game when he offers this challenge. When he shows by his 

 evident contempt, that the intruder of his domain is so far be- 

 neath his notice as to be ignored, stop suddenly and conceal your 

 presence. Not mam/ moments will elapse until is heard the 

 quick flutter of nervous wings and soon the sharp eyes of the 

 little feathered flirt will spy you out. Then again he disappears, 

 but you understand him now and may laugh at his pretense. 



As early as February you may hear him trying his vccal 

 chords. Carolina does not hurry away to the gulf states at the 

 approach of winter. He is another of the hardier birds that 

 "pooh-pooh" at applying the term "north" to central Illinois. 

 The mooted question as to whether the fortieth parallel of lati- 

 tude lies in "Dixie" or north of that land of winter sunshine has 

 never been settled by the members of the Wren family. The 

 House Wren and Bewick's insist that the sunny south lies a day 



