EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 145 



placed in holes of rocks, composed of moss, roots, and feathers. 

 Breeds in the Aleutian and Prybilof Islands, Alaska. 



724. Short-billed Marsh Wren, CistotJiorus stellaris. 

 Eggs, 4 to 6, short oval, white, unspotted ; .50 -|- .60 to .55 -f- 

 .75. The white color and rather thick polished shell and short 

 oval separate them from other white eggs of the same size. 

 Nests placed in grass, globular, composed of grass, woven when 

 living, lined with fine grass. Breeds in Eastern United States 

 and Southern British Provinces, south to the middle districts, 

 and west to the plains, in July. 



725. Long-billed Marsh Wren, Cistothortcs palustrls, 

 (Type, Plate VIII.) Eggs, 5 to 7, short oval, pale brown, 

 thickly spotted and dotted with a darker shade of the same, 

 often so thickly as to cover the entire surface ; .50 -\- .60 to 

 .55 -}- .70. ISTests placed in grass, reeds, or occasionally in 

 bushes, composed of grass, reeds, etc., woven into a globular 

 form. Breeds in Southern British America and the United. 

 States, in June. 



725«. TuLE Wren, Cistothorus palustris paludicola. Eggs, 

 indistinguishable from tliose of No. 721, and the nests and 

 nesting habits are similar. Breeds in Western United States, 

 east to the Rocky Mountains. 



7255. Marian's Marsh Wren, Cistothorus mariance. 

 I have never seen the eggs. Breeds in the vicinity of Tarpon 

 Springs, Florida. 



Family LX. — CERTHIID JE. Creepers. 



Eggs, spotted, and deposited in nests that are placed either 

 in holes of trees, or oftener behind loosened strips of bark. 



726. Brown Creeper, Certhia faviiliaris arnericana. 

 Eggs, 4 to 6, rather elliptical, white, spotted and dotted with 

 reddish brown ; .50 -|- .70 to .52 -f- .73. Fine markings are 

 characteristic. Nests placed behind loose strips of bark, com- 

 posed of grass, moss, etc. Breeds throughout North America, 



