204 GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 



though possessing great family likeness to those above mentioned, are 

 decisively Creepers, if the bill, the tongue, nostrils and claws are to be 

 the criteria by which we are to class them. 



The color of the plumage of birds is but an uncertain and inconstant 

 guide ; and though in some cases it serves to furnish a trivial or specific 

 appellation, yet can never lead us to the generic one. I have, there- 

 fore, notwithstanding the general appearance of these birds, and the 

 practice of former ornithologists, removed them to the genus Certhia, 

 from that of Motacilla, where they have hitherto been placed. 



This bird is frequently seen, early in May, along the shores of the 

 Delaware, and other streams that fall into it on both sides, thirty or 

 forty miles below Philadelphia ; but is rather rare in Pennsylvania. 

 This circumstance is a little extraordinary ; since, from its size, and 

 stout make, it would seem more capable of braving the rigors of a 

 northern climate than any of the others. It can, however, scarcely be 

 called migratory. In the depth of winter I found it numerous in Vir- 

 ginia along the shores and banks of the James river and its tributary 

 streams, and- thence as far south as Savannah. I also observed it on 

 the banks of the Ogechee ; it seemed to be particularly attached to the 

 borders of cypress swamps, deep hollows, among piles of old decaying 

 timber, and by rivers and small creeks. It has all the restless jerking 

 manners of the Wrens, skipping about with great nimbleness, hopping 

 into caves, and disappearing into holes and crevices like a rat, for seve- 

 ral minutes, and then reappearing in another quarter. It occasionally 

 utters a loud, strong, and singular twitter, resembling the word chirr- 

 rup, dweUing long and strongly on the first syllable ; and so loud that 

 I at first mistook it for the Red-bird, L. eardinalis. It has also another 

 chant, rather more musical, like " Sweet William, Sweet William," 

 much softer than the former. Though I cannot positively say, from my 

 own observations, that it builds in Pennsylvania, and have never yet 

 been so fortunate as to find its nest ; yet, from the circumstance of hav- 

 ing several times observed it within a quarter of a mile of the Schuyl- 

 kill, in the month of August, I have no doubt that some few breed here, 

 and think it highly probable that Pennsylvania and New York may be 

 the northern boundaries of their visits, having sought for it in vain 

 among the states of New England. Its food appears to consist of those 

 insects and their larvae that frequent low damp caves, piles of dead tim- 

 ber, old roots, projecting banks of creeks, &c., &c. It certainly pos- 

 sesses the faculty of seeing in the dark better than day birds usually 

 do ; for I have observed it exploring the recesses of caves, where a good 

 acute eye must have been necessary to enable it to distinguish its prey. 



In the Southern States, as well as in Louisiana, this species is gener- 

 ally resident ; though in summer they, are more numerous, and are found 

 rather farther north than in winter. In this last season their chirrup- 



