MARSH-WREN. 439 



however, of this bird, obtained by Commerson on the 

 banks of La Plata, is too imperfect for certainty. It 

 was found probably in a marshy situation, as it entered 

 the boat in which he was sailing. The time of arrival 

 and departure in this species, agreeing exactly with the 

 appearance of the Marsh-Wren of Wilson, inclines me to 

 believe that it also exists in Pennsylvania with the fol- 

 lowing, whose migration, according to Audubon, is more 

 than a month earlier and later than that of our bird. Mr. 

 Cooper, however, has not been able to meet with it in 

 the vicinity of New York. 



The Short-Billed Marsh-Wren is about 4^ inches long. The bill 

 ^ an inch from the tip to the gape of the mouth. Above blackish- 

 brown, varied with white and rufous, chiefly along the shafts of the 

 feathers ; top of the head also lined. Wings dusky, conspicuously 

 barred with whitish and rufous on the outer webs. 3d and 4th prima- 

 ries longest and nearly equal to each other. Upper tail-coverts, ele- 

 gantly barred with the three colors above mentioned. Tail rounded, 

 barred with dusky and rufous grey. Below, centre of the breast and 

 throat, white ; sides of the breast, belly, and vent pale rust-color ; 

 beneath the wings the flanks are faintly barred, the feathers having 

 a single subterminal band. Legs and feet pale brownish flesh-color ', 

 claws scarcely more than half the length of those of the common 

 Marsh-Wren. Bill rather dusky above, pale beneath, considerably 

 curved, but much compressed at the sides, — The female and young 

 scarcely distinguishable from the adult male. 



MARSH-WREN. 



{Troglodytes palustris, Bonap. Audubon, pi. 98. Orn. Biog. vol. i. 

 p. 500. Certhia palustris, Wilson, ii. p. 58. pi. 12. fig. 4. Phil. 

 Museum, No. 7282.) 



Sp. Charact. — Dark brown; crown dusky brown; neck and 

 back the same streaked with whitish ; a white stripe over the 

 eye ; beneath silvery-whitish, the vent only tinged with pale 

 brown ; bill | of an inch. 



This retiring inhabitant of marshes and the wet and 

 sedgy borders of rivers, arrives in the Middle States of 



