What Bird is That? Part 34

_Range._ Nests from Florida and Texas to Canada winters from South Carolina to the tropics.

Was.h.i.+ngton, abundant S.R., Apl. 34-Oct. 11; occasionally winters. Ossining, common S.R. Apl.

28-Oct. 25. Cambridge, abundant S.R., May 6-Oct.

1; occasional in winter. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 21-Oct. 5. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Apl.

29-Oct. 6. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 30-Oct. 6.

If the Catbird's name were based on his song instead of on his call-note, he might have won the popularity he deserves, but which seems forever denied him. Taking kindly to civilization he makes his home near ours, asking only the shelter of our shrubbery and a share of our small fruits in return for three months of music such as but few birds can produce.

The Catbird nests in bushes and thickets laying 3-5 greenish blue eggs in May.

BROWN THRASHER

_Toxostoma rufum. Case 4, Fig. 82; Case 6, Fig. 72_

Tail and bill much longer than in the Thrushes; white wing-bars; eye pale yellow. L. 11.

_Range._ Nests from Florida and Louisiana to Canada; winters from North Carolina and SE.

Missouri to Florida and Texas.

Was.h.i.+ngton, very common S.R., Apl. 8-Oct.; occasionally winters. Ossining, common S.R., Apl.

22-Oct. 28. Cambridge common S.R., Apl. 36-Oct.

20. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 6-Oct. 15. Glen Ellyn, common S.R., Apl. 9-Oct. 11. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 15-Oct. 7.

In the wealth of new experiences and awakened a.s.sociations which crowd the bird-lover's days in April and May, none stands out more clearly in my memory than the first Thrasher's song.

The rich, distinctly enunciated notes ring loud and clear above all other songs as the bird from some tree-top gives his musical message to the world. The performance concluded he returns to the undergrowth whence one may hear his explosive, whistled _wheeu_ or sharp kissing note. The nest is built in bushy growths or on the ground in May. The 3-6 eggs are grayish white finely speckled with reddish brown.

WRENS. FAMILY TROGLODYTIDae

CAROLINA WREN

_Thryothorus ludovicia.n.u.s ludovicia.n.u.s. Case 4. Fig. 64_

Largest and most brightly colored of our Wrens.

Note the buff or whitish line over the eye. L. 5.

_Range._ Gulf States north to Connecticut and Iowa; non-migratory. The Florida Wren (_T. l.

miamensis_) a slightly larger, more richly colored form, inhabits Florida from Palatka southward.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common P.R. Cambridge, rare or casual.

N. Ohio, tolerably common P.R.

The Carolina Wren is a bird of the woods, whose loud, musical whistles are among the most conspicuous of southern bird notes. They suggest those of both the Cardinal and Tufted t.i.tmouse, but are more varied in character. A common scolding call is recognizably wren-like, while another suggests a tree-toad's _krrring_. The nest is built in holes, in April. The 4-6 eggs are white with numerous reddish brown and lavender markings.

BEWICK'S WREN

_Thryomanes bewicki bewicki_

Size of the House Wren, but with the tail nearly half an inch longer; its outer feathers tipped with gray.

_Range._ Mississippi Valley from the Gulf States to southern Michigan; rare east of the Alleghanies.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rare and local T.V., Mch. 26-July-; may winter, Nov. 24-Dec. 22.

A house Wren of the States west of the Alleghanies with a tail that seems to be at the mercy of pa.s.sing breezes, and a song resembling the Song Sparrow's, but louder. Its nesting habits resemble those of the House Wren. The 4-6 eggs, laid in April, are white speckled with reddish brown and lavender.

HOUSE WREN

_Troglodytes aedon aedon. Case 4, Fig. 63; Case 6, Fig. 70_

No introduction is needed to this feathered tenant of many bird-lovers. L. 5.

_Range._ Nests from Virginia and Kentucky to Canada; winters from South Carolina and lower Mississippi Valley to Mexico.

Was.h.i.+ngton, common S.R., Apl. 13-Oct. 11.

Ossining, common S.R., Apl. 23-Oct. 14. Cambridge, formerly abundant S.R., Apl. 28-Sept. 25; now rare and local. N. Ohio, common S.R., Apl. 17-Oct. 5.

Glen Ellyn, S.R. in isolated pairs; Apl. 26-Oct.

13. SE. Minn., common S.R., Apl. 27-Sept. 18.

The familiar inhabitant of our bird-houses whose numbers seem limited only by the nesting-sites we offer him. His little fountain of melody bubbles forth irrepressibly to cheer his mate or challenge a rival. With the exhaustless energy of their kind they fill their nest-box with twigs, gra.s.ses and feathers, wherein are laid 6-8 minutely and evenly speckled pinkish eggs.

WINTER WREN

_Nannus hiemalis hiemalis. Case 2, Fig. 58_

Smaller than the House Wren; underparts brownish, flanks and belly finely barred. L. 4.

_Range._ Nests from northern New England and Central Michigan north to Canada and, in the Alleghanies, south to North Carolina; winters from the Northern States to the Gulf.

Was.h.i.+ngton, rather common W.V., Aug. 10-May 1.

Ossining, tolerably common W.V., Sept. 18-Apl. 27.

Cambridge, T.V. uncommon, Sept. 20-Nov. 25; rare, Apl. 10-25; a very few winter. N. Ohio, tolerably common. W.V., Sept. 14-May 17. Glen Ellyn, fairly common T.V., Apl. 1-May 10; Sept. 9-Nov. 7. SE.

Minn., common T.V., rare W.V., Sept. 22-Apl. 3.

The Winter Wren comes to us from the North when the House Wren leaves for the South and remains with us until the House Wren returns in the spring. But one by no means takes the place of the other. The Winter Wren is a wood Wren that lives in fallen tree-tops, old brush-piles or similar retreats, and his nervous _chimp, chimp_, as with c.o.c.ked-up tail he hops into view for a second, is like the call of the Song Sparrow rather than the scolding note of most Wrens; nor does his rippling, trickling song resemble the House Wren's sudden outburst.

The nest is built in the roots of a tree or similar location. The 5-7 eggs, laid in early June, are white, finely, but rather sparingly speckled with brownish.

SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN