The Carolina Wren in the Lower Hudson Valley.— The occurrence of 

 the Carolina Wren on the eastern slope of the Palisades furnishes a 

 marked illustration of the influence exerted by river valleys in extending 

 the range of species. While as abundant during the summer in this iocal- 

 itj as in any part of its range, it is as yet a comparatively rare bird on the 

 eastern shore of the river, and on the western shore is seldom found far 

 from the clifts of the Palisades. I have observed it at Fort Lee, New 

 Jersey, and just below Piermont, New York, but for the most part my 

 observations have been confined to the ' Under Cliff' road at Englewood. 

 Here on July 3 a nest containing joung was found. It was placed in a 

 small pocket-like opening in the face of a perpendicular cliff fifteen feet 

 from the crest of the Palisades and an equal distance from a ledge below. 

 On the same day within a distance of a mile no less than te,t Carolina 

 Wrens were seen, and on returning to the place a week later six birds were 

 seen. But, as before remarked, although so abundant here, the birds are 

 comparatively rare in the adjoining country. My friend Mr. Evan Evans, 

 who lives less than a mile west of the spot where the nest was found, tells 

 me that he rarely sees this species except in the immediate vicinity of the 

 cliffs. At West Englewood, distant three and a half miles, I have found 

 one or two individuals each spring and fall, and it has seemed to me that 

 the species was slowly becoming more regular. During 1892 I noted 

 single individuals at West Englewood on May 20 and October 23, and also 

 at Larchmont on Long Island Sound on July 18 and in Central Park, New 

 _ York City, on August 29. Dr. Mearns does not include it in his 'Birds of 

 the Hudson Highlands,' and Dr. Fisher tells me he has not met with it at 

 Sing Sing. Mr. J. Rowley, Jr., informs me that at Hastings-on-the 

 Hudson a few miles north of Yonkers he sees one or two of these birds 

 each year. But the most interesting evidence concerning the Carolina 

 Wren in the Hudson Valley is furnished by Mr. Bicknell whose notes 

 were made at Riverdale on the eastern shore of the river, exactly opposite 

 Englewood. Mr. Bicknell writes : " About Riverdale the Carolina Wren 

 is certainly more common than it used to be. Up to 1879, when I found 

 it breeding at Spuyten Duyvil, I regarded it as an accidental visitor. My 

 brothers were close observers of birds before me, and they had never seen 

 it, although one had been shot at Riverdale in the late autumn of 1873. 

 Of late years I have come to look upon it as a regularly irregular visitor, 

 and every year I expect to meet with it at least two or three times. . . . 

 It has seemed to me the eastern shore of the Hudson gets the overflow 

 from the Wren population of the slopes of the Palisades, which has 

 undoubtedly been increasing. For years past on occasional visits to the 

 Palisades from spring until late in autumn I have never failed to hear the 

 Carolina Wren, and have frequently heard two singing at the same time. 

 On one occasion I heard two singing and saw still another, all at the 

 sam.e moment." My own more recent experience with this bird on the 

 Palisades, as herein recorded, confirms Mr. Bicknell's remarks, and it 

 would appear that, having become permanently established there, it is 

 gradually spreading through the surrounding country.— Frank M. Chap- 

 man, American Museum of Natural History, Netv Tork City.- 



The Gkeat Carolina Wrkn brkeding on Long Island, N. Y. — 

 In a letter recently received from Mr. Rubert Lawrence, he informs me 

 that on May 8, 1879, he was fortunate enough to take a female Great 

 Carolina Wren at Flushing, Long Island, and on the following day saw 

 the male and a brood of four young birds just able to fly. Although 

 record of two captures of this Wren has been given for New York Island 

 by Mr. George N". Lawrence, I think this is the first record of its breed- 

 ing in that locality. — RuTiiVEN Deane, Cambrulge, Mass. 



Bk1LN.O.«. 4, July. 1«79. >. /^V. 



