MARIAN'S MARSH WREN 245 



such odd circumstances. I think high water and rats had something 

 to do with this nesting custom here, and it may be a comparatively 

 recent habit." From the same source of information, Mr. Wheeler 

 goes on to say : 



Nests of marianae found in mangrove trees were fastened to the forks of small 

 limbs, generally at their ends, or in the tops of small mangrove bushes. * * * 

 Occupied nests are lined with soft shredded grasses, and sometimes with feathers, 

 and they are so cleverly woven together that they are a complete protection 

 against rain. None have even been found that were damp inside. Although 

 the marsh wrens nest in colonies, the nests of marianae are seldom less than 40 

 feet apart. On the east coast of Florida Nicholson counted four to six "dummy 

 nests" to every occupied nest of grisetis; but in the colonies of marianae on the 

 west coast near Elfers, he found only one or two bachelor nests to one that was 

 occupied. 



Referring to the coast of Alabama, he writes : 



It was on the tidal fiats, or rather monotypic marshes, of Heron Bayou that 

 we found marsh wrens nesting, enough to satisfy the heart of any ornithologist. 

 This region of vast and almost impenetrable marshes is known to the hshermen 

 as West Heron Bay. Several narrow bayous penetrate the grass-grown region, 

 one of them widening into a so-called lake. In such a region, in the tall bladed 

 grasses, which grow higher than the rushes, and nearer open water, we found 

 the marsh wrens numerous. They were singing near their neatly built nests, 

 their entrancing songs being much in the tempo of the songs of the Pi'airie 

 Marsh Wren. * ♦ * 



The nest of Marian's Marsh Wren dilTers in no essential way from the nest 

 of other closely-related species or subspecies. It is globular in shape, well secured 

 to the taller marsh grasses, and usually about 2 or 3 feet above high tide. Often- 

 times the nest can be detected from a moving skifC. The bachelor nests, which are 

 unlined, are in the proportion of four or five to one which is lined and occupied. 



Eggs. — Marian's marsh wren seems to lay fewer eggs than the north- 

 ern races of the species, usually three to five. These are like the eggs 

 of the species' elsewhere and show the usual variations, some being 

 quite pale, but most of them being of a deep, rich chocolate-brown; 

 many have a wreath of darker spots about the larger end. The meas- 

 urements of 40 eggs average 15.4 by 12.2 millimeters ; the eggs showing 

 the four extremes measure 16.4 by 12.7, 16.1 by 12.9, 14.2 by 11.9, and 

 15.0 by 11.0 millimeters. 



Behavior. — Mr. Wheeler (1931) writes: "Contrary to our expecta- 

 tion, we did not find these wrens particularly shy. The breeding birds 

 were very easy to approach; and although they did not remain long 

 on open perches they seemed quite unmindful of our invasion of their 

 territory, singing joyously all the while, and often within 2 or 3 feet 

 of us. Often and again the males would reappear and perch in plain 

 view on the side of the tallest reed, and that without interruption of 

 their song. If we could have walked through the thick vegetation at 

 low tide with a Graflex camera, we might have gotten pictures of the 

 birds in action." 



758066—48 -17 



