us
mockingbird of the Southern States belongs to a genus which has but
two other representatives in the Atlantic States, namely, the catbird
and the long-tailed or ferruginous thrush.

The wrens are a large and interesting family, and as songsters are
noted for vivacity and volubility. The more common species are the
house wren, the marsh wren, the great Carolina wren, and the winter
wren, the latter perhaps deriving its name from the fact that it breed
in the North. It is an exquisite songster, and pours forth its notes
so rapidly, and with such sylvan sweetness and cadence, that it seems
to go off like a musical alarm.

Wilson called the kinglets wrens, but they have little to justify the
name, except that the ruby-crown's song is of the same gushing,
lyrical character as that referred to above. Dr. Brewer was entranced
with the song of one of these tiny minstrels in the woods of New
Brunswick, and thought he had found the author of the strain in the
black-poll warbler. He seems loath to believe that a bird so small as
either of the kinglets could possess such vocal powers. It may indeed
have been the winter wren, but from my own observation I believe the
ruby-crowned kinglet quite capable of such a performance.

But I must leave this part of the subject and hasten on. As to works
on ornithology, Audubon's, though its expense puts it beyond the reach
of the mass of readers, is by far the most full and accurate. His
drawings surpass all others in accuracy and spirit, while his
enthusiasm and devotion to the work he had undertaken have but few
parallels in the history of science. His chapter on the wild goose is
as good as a poem. One readily overlooks his style, which is often
verbose and affected, in consideration of enthusiasm so genuine and
purpose so single.

There has never been a keener eye than Audubon's, though there have
been more discriminative ears. Nuttall, for instance is far more happy
in his descriptions of the songs and notes of birds, and more to be
relied upon. Audubon thinks the song of the Louisiana water-thrush
equal to that of the European nightingale, and, as he had heard both
birds, one would think was prepared to judge. Yet he has, no doubt,
overrated the one and underrated the other. The song of the
water-thrush is very brief, compared with the philomel's, and its
quality is brightness and vivacity, while that of the latter bird, if
the books are to be credited, is melody and harmony. Ag