GREAT CAROLINA WREN. 
71 
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 Virginia 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 nim- 
bleness, hopping into caves, and disappearing into holes and 
crevices like a rat, for several minutes, and then reappearing 
in another quarter. It occasionally utters a loud, strong, and 
singular twitter, resembling the word chirr-rup, dwelling long 
and strongly on the first syllable; and so loud that I at first mis- 
took it for the Red-bird, L. cardinalis. It has also another 
chant, rather more musical, like “ Sweet William, Sweet Wil- 
liam,” much softer than the former. Though I cannot posi- 
tively say, from my own observations, that it builds in Penn- 
sylvania, and have never yet been so fortunate as to find its 
nest; yet, from the circumstance of having several times obser- 
ved it within a quarter of a mile of the Schuylkill, 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 timber, old roots, projecting banks of 
creeks, &c. &c. It certainly possesses 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 neccessary to enable it to distinguish its prey. 
In the southern states, as well as in Louisiana, this species is 
generally resident; though in summer they are more numer- 
