82 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 



in the breeding season, but their singing is mostly 

 gurgling and chattering, with httle attempt at a theme. 

 The movements of these birds are characteristic of the 

 wrens, quick and brusque. 



The nests are a curious compound of grass, sticks, 

 feathers, and hchens ; these are sometimes mixed withT 

 a httle mud, and fastened in a bunch of grass or reeds 

 intertwined and laced together so that the green grass 

 partially covers and neutralizes the appearance of the 

 bulky structure. 



The nest has an opening on one side, and is a very 

 safe and cozy place for the mother-bird and young. 

 These nests are very abundant on the marshy islands 

 in the upper I^iagara Kiver, and show quite conspicuously 

 in the fall after the rank vegetation withers. 



I have found these nests as early as May, and I saw 

 one there last summer, past the middle of July, contain- 

 ing nine eggs. These eggs are much darker than those 

 of the house wren, often so thickly dotted with reddish 

 chocolate as to almost obscure the pinkish groundwork. 



Less abundant, though perhaps more equally distrib- 

 uted, are the short-billed marsh wrens {Clstothorus 

 stellaris). In many respects these resemble the long- 

 billed, but with general plumage lighter, running more 

 to streaks than cross-bars. The bill is slender and very 

 short. No mud is used in the construction of the nest. 

 The eggs are pure white. 



The great Carolina wren {Troglodytes ludovicianus) 

 is occasionally found in this locality, but so rarely that 

 he can hardlv be claimed as a resident. 



