436 



INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



Section — Thryothorus, (Marsh-Wrens.) 



These birds scarcely merit any separation from the preceding, 

 differing merely in their habits ; their feet, better formed for climb- 

 ing among reeds and rank herbage, have all ihe toes nearly of equal 

 length, the middle one only a trifle longer, and the hinder toe more 

 robust ; the claws, however, are all long, slender, and very sharp. 

 There is no sensible difference in the bill of these from the preceding 

 section, except that it may be a little more slender. The spurious 

 feather in the wings is the same as in the true Wrens. 



These birds frequent, and live exclusively in watery and en- 

 swamped situations, sometimes among reeds, which they grasp and 

 ascend by hops. Their voice is less musical than in the birds of the 

 preceding section, but not without some degree of similar harmoni- 

 ous modulation. They are peculiar to America, and extend to the 

 extremity of the South American hemisphere. 



SHORT-BILLED MARSH-WREN. 



{Troglodytes *hrevirostris, Nobis. Read in Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil. 

 Transactions of the American Academy, v. p. 98. with a figure.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bill shorter than the head, which is striated ; above 

 dark brown, varied with rufous and whitish ; beneath, except the 

 white throat and centre of the breast, pale rufous ; wings barred. 



