Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 247 



as a rule all through late summer and fall, withdrawing to local- 

 ities where it finds wild grapes and different kinds of berries, 

 of which it is very fond. In September large gatherings may be 

 found at such favorite resorts, but after the first of October 

 Thrashers become scarce, though some are present until the 

 20th, when ordinarily the last is going. Exceptionally an indi- 

 vidual may linger into winter, even in north Missouri, where 

 Mr. Parker saw one at Montgomery City as late as December 

 17, 1904. 



Family Troglodytidae. Wrens. 

 *718. Thryothorus ludovicianus (Lath.). Carolina Wren. 



Certhia caroliniana. Troglodytes ludovieianus. 



Geog. Dist. — Eastern United States except Florida and 

 Lower Rio Grande; north to southern New England, southern 

 Michigan, southern Iowa, southeastern Nebraska (where very 

 rare); west to Kansas, Oklahoma and western Texas. Breeds 

 from the Gulf coast northward. Non-migratory. 



In Missouri a common ■ resident from the Missouri River 

 southward, fairly common to rare from the counties bordering 

 on the Missouri northward to the state line. At East Leaven- 

 worth the writer found it common in June 1906, but Mr. Wilson 

 considers it an accidental visitor at St. Joseph, where he captured 

 one April 4, 1896. In the vicinity of Keokuk Mr. Currier found 

 it to be of very irregular occurrence, generally very rare, in 

 1902 more frequent, therefore thought to be increasing by ex- 

 tending its breeding range. Being a ground-builder the Carolina 

 Wren has been driven from many former haunts by cats, dogs 

 and hogs and may thereby be forced to spread to near regions, 

 but in districts where it is most numerous, as in the southeast 

 and in valleys of the Ozarks, it has learned to place its nests 

 like the House and Bewick's Wrens on porches and about build- 

 ings out of reach of cats, dogs and hogs. Excepting an inter- 

 mission of six weeks during August and September, its cheering 

 song may be heard almost every day of the year, even in mid- 

 winter on sunny days. The severity of our winters does not seem 

 to hurt it where, among fallen trees and brush, it is able to secure 

 insect food in any kind of weather. From localities less suited 

 for this purpose it withdraws during the worst part of the season. 

 Being among the earliest breeders finished nests have been found 

 by the middle of March and fully fledged young early in May. 



