274 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



We found it common on various grassy meadows and prairies in 

 different parts of Plorida and collected specimens. Mr. Howell (1932) 

 says of its haunts : "The Short-billed Marsh Wren, during the winter 

 season in Florida, is found in marshes, both fresh and salt, and in 

 old fields or prairies where there is a growth of dense, matted grass 

 or weeds. The birds remain hidden in the vegetation most of the time, 

 but are easily flushed by walking toward them, when they fly weakly 

 for a short distance and drop again into the grass. At times I have 

 heard them chattering in the marsh grass, or rarely singing a little." 

 About Tarpon Springs, W. E. D. Scott (1890) has "taken the birds 

 in both salt and fresh water marshes, though marshes of sedge grass 

 where the water is brackish and the sedge not very high nor dense 

 seem to be preferred." Wayne (1910) says that, in South Carolina, 

 "it inhabits freshwater marshes and fields which are covered with 

 broom grass, rarely, if ever, resorting to the salt marshes. The 

 centre of abundance is on the rice plantations, where it is exceedingly 

 abundant during the autumn, winter, and spring months." 



Frederick V. Hebard writes to me : "The number of this abundant 

 species to be recorded in the broomsedge fields and flats of south- 

 eastern Georgia near dusk on a winter day will only be limited by 

 one's perseverance. Wet winter or dry winter, the 'Joren' is there 

 in great numbers. It chirps its two-noted call ch-chi'p^ frequently 

 during the day and increases it toward dusk to almost choral 

 frequency." 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — The species ranges from Canada south to Tierra del 

 Fuego, southern South America, the North American race from 

 southern Canada to northeastern Mexico. 



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

 southeastern Saskatchewan (Quill Lake) ; southern Manitoba (Lake 

 St. Martin, Shoal Lake, and Indian Bay, Lake of the Woods) ; central 

 Ontario (Whitefish Lake, Lake Nipissing, and Ottawa) ; southern 

 Quebec (Montreal and Llatley) ; and central Maine (Glenburn and 

 Bangor). East to central Maine (Bangor) ; and along the Atlantic 

 coast to southern Maryland (Ocean City and Point Lookout). South 

 to southern Maryland (Ocean City and Point Lookout) ; central Ohio 

 (Columbus) ; central Indiana (Indianapolis) ; and central Missouri 

 (St. Louis and Kansas City). West to western Missouri (Kansas 

 City) ; eastern Nebraska (Lincoln and West Point) ; eastern South 

 Dakota (Vermilion, Sioux Falls, and Petrodie) ; eastern North 

 Dakota (Napoleon, Devils Lake, and the Turtle Mountains) ; and 

 southeastern Saskatchewan (Quill Lake). It has been found breed- 

 ing at Barbourville, Ky., and there are probably other semiisolated 

 colonies. 



