INSESSORES I LIOTRICHID.E. 193 



The Short-billed Marsh Wren, C. stellaris, Cab., of the 

 United States east of the Platte River, is four and a half 

 inches long, the wing one inch and three fourths ; the 

 bill is scarcely half the length of the head ; the hind part 

 of the crown, back, and rump, almost black, streaked with 

 white ; under parts white ; the sides, upper part of the 

 breast, and under tail-coverts, reddish brown. This spe- 

 cies lives in marshy fresh-water meadows, and is very 

 shy. When uttering its lively song, it stands on a tuft of 

 sedge or a low bush, and its head and tail are alternately 

 depressed and elevated as if the body were moving on a 

 pivot. 



The Genus Troglodytes has the bill nearly as long as 

 the head, compressed, decurved ; and the wings about 

 equal to the tail. 



The House Wren, T. czdon, Vieill., of North America 

 east of the Missouri, is nearly five inches long, the wing 

 over two inches ; the color above reddish brown, barred 

 with dusky, under parts brownish gray. This wren de- 

 lights in being near the habitations of man, and builds 

 its nest in any hole it finds in the timbers or walls of our 

 buildings, or in a hollow tree of the orchard or garden. 

 The nest is formed of dry twigs and grasses, and lined 

 with soft materials ; eggs five or six, pale reddish. 



Parkman's Wren, T. Parkmanni, Aud., of Western 

 North America, is very similar to the preceding, but 

 the colors are grayer. 



The Wood Wren, T. amcricamis, Aud., of Eastern 

 United States, is four and a half inches long, the wing 

 two inches, and is very similar to T. cedon ; but the bill 

 is shorter, tail more graduated, colors darker, and there 

 is no light line over the eye. 



The Winter Wren, T. hyemalis, Vieill., of North Amer- 

 ica, is four inches long, the wing over one inch and a half; 

 the upper parts reddish brown, marked with transverse 



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