238 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



about 15 feet from a nest, was watched for some time. His movements 

 were accompanied by audible rustlings, but the wren never noticed 

 him." 



Wind and rain caused considerable damage to several nests, which 

 the wrens deserted. "Nests in Iva or Baccharis were often insecurely 

 attached. One such hung by two strands of grass for days. Young 

 wrens were in it at the time and, although every slight breeze caused it 

 to swing from side to side, the parent bird seemed oblivious to the 

 precariousness of the situation." 



He says that territorial boundaries were very flexible. "I have 

 seen males fly back and forth between dummy nests spread out over a 

 distance of a hundred yards or more. Seldom was one wren seen 

 chasing another. At no time was a wren noticed flying after a bird 

 of another species." 



Wayne (1910) says that, in South Carolina, "this form is an abun- 

 dant autumn, winter, and late spring visitant. My earliest record is 

 September 4, 1895, and the latest May 17, 1897. During the migra- 

 tions it is most abundant in October and April, when it is commonly 

 found on the salt marshes. In winter, however, the birds prefer the 

 freshwater marshes on the rice plantations, and I have seen more than 

 a hundred individuals in the course of a few hours in such situations." 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Southern Canada to central Mexico. 



Breeding range. — The long-billed marsh wren breeds north to 

 southern British Columbia (Chilliwack, Lac la Hache, and Spring- 

 house) ; northern Alberta (Peace Eiver Landing and the Athabaska 

 Delta) ; southern Saskatchewan (Prince Albert and Indian Head) ; 

 southern Manitoba (Lake St. Martin, Winnipeg, and probably Chema- 

 wawin) ; southern Ontario (Lake Nipissing and Ottawa) ; southern 

 Quebec (Blue Sea Lake and Montreal) ; and New Brunswick (prob- 

 ably Woodstock and Midgic). East to New Brunswick (probably 

 Midgic) ; and south through all the Atlantic Coast States to southern 

 Florida (Eldred). South to southern Florida (Eldred and Char- 

 lotte Harbor) ; the Gulf coast to southeastern Texas (Port Arthur 

 and Cove) ; southern Illinois (Horseshoe Lake) ; southern Missouri 

 (Marionville) ; southern Kansas (Wichita) ; southern Colorado (Al- 

 kali Lakes and Saguache) ; central Utah (Marysvale) ; central 

 Nevada (Ruby Lake and Carson) ; southwestern Arizona (Yuma) ; 

 and southern California (Calipatria and Escondido). From North 

 Carolina to Texas the species is confined almost entirely to the coastal 

 marshes. 



Winter range. — The long-billed marsh wren occasionally winters 



