16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



At all hours of the night the Marsh Wren's notes may be 

 heard ringing across the marsh. Drifting with the tide, in an 

 open boat, among these swampe I have beard this night song 

 at its best. There is a pleasant surprise in store for the bird- 

 lover who has missed it. 



This night song is no doubt the same as that sung in the day- 

 light but the night gives to it a certain charm. One must hear 

 it mingled with the quivering call of a Screech Owl and the 

 "quawk, quawk" of Night Herons to fully appreciate it. 



It matters not whether the moon be bright or the sky be 

 cloudy: these midnight concerts are held r^ularly through May, 

 June, July and the first half of August. One wonders if these 

 little birds ever sleep. They are such restless little bodies that 

 one would think that with the coming of night they would be 

 glad to rest, but instead they seem to be always on the move. 

 When you invade their haunts they will watch you from some 

 nearby plant stalk, pitching their tails forward until they lie 

 almost flat upon their backs, scold at you a little and then 

 burst into song. It seems impossible for them to be quiet for 

 five minutes at a time. 



Wilson seemed to think that because of the Marsh Wren's 

 restless movements it should be classed with the creepers. He 

 says: " From the above description and view of the figure, the 

 naturalist will perceive that this species is truly a Certhia or 

 creeper, and indeed its habits confirm this, as it is continually 

 climbing along the stalks of reeds aud other aquatic plants in 

 search of insects." 



By the twentieth of October these little birds have forsaken 

 their summer haunts and the swamps have lost to me one of 

 their chief attractions. 



