^°190?^] General Notes. 321 



probably on account of its small size and general resemblance to its long- 

 billed relative (Telmatodytes jialustr'is) , and also, quite likely, because 

 very few of our ornithologists can distinguish it from the latter species. 

 But it is not surprising that its identity is hard to determine, for it is 

 more shy and retiring than the Long-billed Marsh Wren; consequently it 

 is seldom seen and may occur and even breed in localities where its presence 

 may be wholly imsuspected by the casual observer. Furthermore, very few 

 ornithologists — especially the opera glass devotees — have the necessary 

 ambition to intrude into its haunts, to wade into the swamps and marshes 

 in quest of this and other marsh inhabiting species, and consequently 

 there is nothing definitely known regarding its status as a resident in this 

 vicinity. 



There are no late records of its occurrence, and in the county of Phila- 

 delphia I have been unable to find a single authentic record of its capture 

 or observation, except my owti, and from this it will be seen that the Short- 

 billed Marsh Wren can rightly be regarded as an extremely rare breeder, 

 in North Philadelphia at least, as I have persistently and diligently searched 

 the marshes in this part of the county annually for the past five years, but 

 have found only one pair of birds and one nest. 



This nest was found on June 8, 1904, at Richmond, Philadelphia, less 

 than five miles from the City Hall, well within the city limits, in a large 

 cat-tail marsh comprising over ten acres and almost surrounded by manu- 

 facturing establislnnents. It was well out in the marsh, amidst a dense 

 patch of tall reeds, attached securely to the blades and stalks, 3^ feet above 

 water 1\ feet deep. It contained four fresh eggs which were collected 

 and three of them are now in the writer's collection; the fourth was acci- 

 dentally broken. 



The nest resembled a Long-billed ]\Iarsh Wren's in every respect. It 

 was compactly made of dried heads of li^^ng cat-tails and marsh grass 

 woven tightly together into an oval-shaped ball, and thickly lined ^\^th 

 cat-tail do\\-n. It was covered with loose pieces of cat-tails, hanging from 

 it and making it look much larger that it really was; and these pieces of 

 rushes almost concealed the round entrance, a hole in the side, just above 

 the middle about the size of a nickel five-cent piece. It was 7 inches long 

 outside and 3 inches wide. There were no sham nests nearby. 



The female was well seen, and she scolded -vigorously while I despoiled 

 her nest, beha\ing exactly like a Long-bill. The male was heard singing 

 nearby, but was not observed, and his song differed somewhat from that 

 of his larger relative. However, he was seen on June 14, when I made an 

 unsuccessful search for the nest which I had left so as to induce the birds 

 to lay the remainder of the eggs, nor could I find any other nest that I could 

 jjositively identify as belonging to Cistothorus stellaris, although I hunted 

 diligently. That the bird had a nest I am positive, but it was overlooked, 

 as the marsh was a large one, with the cat-tails growing in large, dense 

 patches. 



It has been stated by some ornithologists that the nest of the Short- 



