408 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



cated they had shortly left the nest. He was of the opinion that the 

 bird breeds in Northern Ohio. Mr. Mcllwraith states that a few re- 

 main to breed in suitable places throughout Ontario. Mr. Wm. L. 

 Kells found it breeding in wet woods of Central Ontario, nesting in 

 cavities in the roots of upturned trees. While the general habits of 

 this bird are much like those of the House Wren, its song, from all 

 accounts, during the breeding season, is entirely different — "a soul 

 vibrating, gushing melody, which calls forth the sweetest woodland 

 echoes." The nest of this diminutive Wren is placed in hollows of 

 low stumps in wet places, in crevices of unoccupied buildings, in 

 the tangled piles of fallen trees and branches. It is composed of 

 small twigs with moss and leaves interwoven, and warmly lined with 

 feathers of hawks, crows, grouse, or any that are at hand. The eggs 

 are laid as early as the middle of May or in June, and two broods are 

 reared. Mr. Kells says that the birds will at once forsake a nest that 

 has been touched by human hand. 



The eggs are four, five, or six in number, clear white in ground 

 color, spotted with reddish-brown and purple, chiefly at the larger 

 ends. Average size .69 x .49. 



122a. Troglodytes hiemalis pacificus Baird [ 651a;.] 



■Western Winter Wren. 



Hab. Pacific coast region from Sitka to Southern California; south in winter to Western Mexico; 

 east to Eastern Oregon, Nevada, etc. 



This subspecies breeds from the southern coast ranges of Cali- 

 fornia north to Sitka. Habits, nesting and eggs like those of T. 

 hiemalis of the East. Eggs .60X.48. 



724. Cistothorus stellaris (Licht.) [68.] 



Short-billed Marsh Wren. 



Hab. Eastern United States and Southern British Provinces, west to the Great Plains. Winters in 

 the Gulf States and southward. 



The reedy swamps, fresh water marshes and meadows of Eastern 

 United States are the summer home of the Short-billed Marsh Wren. 

 Breeds abundantly in Western Manitoba, and occasionally in the south- 

 ern portions of its range, but chiefly north of latitude 40°. Colonel 

 Goss states that it possibly breeds in Kansas and Messrs. Keyes 

 and Williams give it as a rather common summer resident of Iowa. 

 Dr. Agersborg has recorded it as a rare breeder in Southeastern Dako- 

 ta. The Short-billed Marsh Wren is a summer resident of Ohio, but 

 "here, as is the case elsewhere, it is not so abundant as the Long-billed 

 species. 



The nest corresponds to that of the Long-billed, but no mud is 

 used in its construction. It is built in the midst of a tussock of 



