Birds of Lewiston-Auburn 25 



15. (721) HOUSE WREN 



A summer resident. Usually arrives about the mid- 

 dle of May. 



It has been a very irregular resident in this locality. 

 Some years ago they were here, then followed several 

 seasons when none were seen. As birds return to the same 

 locality, we could explain their absence from Lewiston 

 only in one way, that ours were lost in their migration. 

 In the summers of 1914-15-16 a few pairs nested either 

 in Lewiston or Auburn. During the summer of 191 7 the 

 song of several house wrens was one of the pleasures of 

 bird-lovers. We hope they will continue to visit us for a 

 house wren in the garden, the good fortune of one of 

 my friends, is a great delight. The interpretation by one 

 of our devoted bird-lovers of the song of the wren was 

 that its throat bubbled over with music. One May morn- 

 ing we heard just such a song and following the sound 

 had our introduction to a house wren. It has also a 

 scolding note. I have heard one singing as late as Sep- 

 tember 14, but the regular song period closes the latter 

 part of August. Two broods are reared. The latest I 

 have seen this species is September 16, although it has 

 been reported later. 



FAMILY THRASHERS AND MOCKINGBIRDS 



16. (705) BROWN THRASHER 



A common summer resident. The earliest date of 

 arrival I have is April 27. It remains into September, my 

 latest date being September 12, but it has been reported 

 as late as September 30. Its song is "loud, rich and won- 

 derfully varied," said to consist of twenty-two distinct 

 phrases. Audubon says it "mounts the topmost twig of 

 a detached tree" where it will sing for hours at a time, 



