GREAT CAROLINA OR MOCKING WREN. 
431 
most pleasing attractions of the scene. Approaching the 
water-fall, he associates with its murmurs the presence 
of the King-Fisher, and modulating the hoarse rattle of 
his original into a low, varied, desponding note, he sits 
on some depending bough by the stream, and calls, 
at intervals, in a slow voice, tee-yilrrh tee-yilrrh , or 
chr’r’r’r’rh, In the tall trees by the silent stream, he recol- 
lects the lively, common note of the Tufted Titmouse, and 
repeats the peto peto peto peet, or his peevish kcitetedid, 
katetedid , katedid. While gleaning low, amidst fallen 
leaves and brush-wood, for hiding and dormant insects 
and worms, he perhaps brings up the note of his indus- 
trious neighbour the Ground Robin, and sets to his own 
sweet and liquid tones the simple toioeet toweet toweet . 
The tremulous trill of the Pine Warbler is then recol- 
lected, and £rWVrVr7i is whistled. In the next breath 
comes his imitation of the large Woodpecker, woity ivoity 
woity and wotchy wotchy wotchy , or tshovee tshovee tshof , 
and tshooddee tshooddee tshooadeet , then varied to tshuvai 
tshuvai tshuvat , and toovaiiah toovai'iah toovaiiatoo . 
Next comes perhaps his more musical and pleasing ver- 
sion of the Blackbird’s short song, wottitsliee ivottitshee 
wottitshce. To the same smart tune is now set a cho- 
sen part of the drawling song of the Meadow Lark,* 
precedo precedo preceet , then varied recedo recedo receet 
and tecedo tecedo teceet ; or changing to a bass key, he 
tunes sooteet sooteet soot. Once, I heard this indefatiga- 
ble mimic attempt delightfully the warble of the Blue- 
bird in the month of February. The bold whistle of the 
Cardinal Bird is another of the sounds he delights to 
imitate and repeat in his own quaint manner ; such as, 
vit-yil vit-yu vit-yu , and vislinu vishmi vishnu, then his 
ivoitee ivoitee icoitee and iciltee wiltee iviltee. Soon after 
* Sturnus ludovicianus. 
