396 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



in winter, but it arrives from the south early in April, and lingers 

 quite late in the fall. During the latter season, they are frequently 

 seen in the city gardens, appearing and disappearing like mice among 

 the roots of the bushes. 



In my boyish days I was familiar with the haunts and homes of 

 the common Wren of Britain, Troglodytes vulgaris, along the " Banks 

 and Braes o' Bonnie Doon," and in song, size and color I believe it is 

 identical with the present species. 



In Manitoba this species is said to be common during the sum- 

 mer. Farther to the North- West it is replaced by a closel}^ allied 

 sub-species, named Western Winter Wren, which is the form found 

 along the Pacific coast and in California. 



Genus CISTOTHORUS Cabanis. 



Subgenus CISTOTHORUS. 



CISTOTHORUS STELLARIS (Light.) 



•WU. Short-billed Marsh Wren. (724) 



Dark brown above, crown and middle of the back, blackish, nearly 

 everywhere conspicuously streaked with wliite; below, bufFy-white, shading 

 into pale brown on the sides and behind ; wings and tail, barred with blackish 

 and light brown ; flanks, barred with dusky ; throat and middle of belly, 

 whitish. Length, 4:h; wing and tail, about 1^; bill, not i long and very 

 slender; tarsus, middle toe and claw, together 1^. 



Hab. — Eastern United States and Southern British Provinces, west to the 

 Plains. Winters in the Gulf States and southward. 



Nest, similar to that of the Long-billed species, but sometimes placed near 

 the ground ; no mud used in the structure, which is very compact and warmly 

 lined witli down. 



Eggs, six to eight, pure wliite, unspotted. 



Never having happened to meet with the Short-billed Marsh 

 Wren in any of my excursions, I consider it to be either locally 

 distributed or less abundant than the Long-billed species, which is 

 common in all the marshes in Southern Ontario. 



Throughout Northern New England, the Short-billed species is a 

 common summer resident, and Mr. Thompson speaks of it as being 

 "abundant all over" in Western Manitoba. It is probable, there- 

 fore, that it is a summer resident in Ontario, but so few people follow 

 these little birds into their marshy haunts that, at present, their 



