TROGLODYTID^ — THE WRENS — CISTOTHORUS. 75 



equal to iu digit. "Wings ratliei- longer than thu tail, all the feathers of which are much 

 graJuateil ; the lateral only two thb-ds the middle, the feathers narrow. Back black, 

 conspicuously streaked with white. 



Cistothorus palustris, Wilson. 



THE LONG-BILLED MAESH-WEEN. 



Cfrtlu'a palustris, Wilson, Am. Oni. II. 1810, 58 ; pi. xii. f. 4. — Troglodytes palustris, BoNA- 

 p.vRTE, Obs. Wilson, 1S24, No. 66. — Swainson, F. Bor. Am. II. 18.32, 319. — Audu- 

 bon, Orn. Biog. I. 1831, 500 ; V. 1839, 467 ; pi. 100. Ib. Birds Amer. 11. 1841, 135 ; pi. 

 123. — Newbebry, Zool. Cal. & Or. Route; P. R. R. Rep. VI. iv. 1857, 80.— Heer- 

 MANN, X. vi. 54. — Thryotliorus palustris, Nuttall, Man. I. 1832, 439. — Bon. List, 

 1838. — Cistothorus (Telmatocli/tes) palustris, Baird, P. R. Rep. IX. Birds, 364. 



Sp. C'li.vu. Bill about as long as head. Tail and wing nearly equal. Upper parts of a 

 dull reddish-brown, except on the crown, interscapular region, outer surface of tertials, 

 and tail feathers, which are almost black ; the first with a median patch like the ground 

 color ; the second with short streaks of white, extending round on the sides of the neck ; 



the third indented with brown : the fourth barred with whitish, decreasing in amount from 

 the outer feather, which is marked from the base, to the fifth, where it is confined to the 

 tips ; the two middle feathers above like the back, and barred throughout with dusky. 

 Beneath, rather pure white, the sides and under tail coverts of a lighter shade of" Iirown 

 than the back ; a white streak over the eye. Length, 5.25 ; extent, 6.75 ; wing, 2.25 : tail, 

 2.00. Iris and feet brown ; bill brown, paler below. 



Hab. North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; north to Greenland. 



This little bird migrates in winter throughout the State, but I ha\'e not 

 observed their nests in the southern portions, and suppose they retire in 

 summer toward the north or the mountain-tojjs, as I have seen tliem about 

 Lake Tahoe, over six thousand feet above the sea. They winter near the 

 coast as far north as the Columbia, and are to be foiuid wherever there is a 

 marsh overgrown with the " tule," (Scir2)us palustris). Among these rushes 

 they live constantly, running through their dense coverts with great agility, 



