322 General Notes. [f^^ 



billed Marsh Wren differs materially from the Longbill's domicile, and still 

 others have said that the Short-bill does not nest over water or in company 

 with their erratic relative. Yet the nest I found could not be distinguished 

 by any one from a Long-bill's, and it was, as I have mentioned, over deep 

 water and in a marsh inhabited by a large colony of Long-billed Marsh 

 Wrens. As I found only one nest, however, I can not base any important 

 conclusion upon it. 



Further investigations by ornithologists who are not afraid of marsh 

 wading in the vicinity of Philadelphia will no doubt lead to the discovery 

 of the Short-billed Marsh Wren at other localities as a rare breeder, for 

 there are many marshes and swamps along the Delaware and its tide- 

 water tributaries that are never invaded by an ornithologist during the 

 simimer. It is a bird of local distribution everywhere, and as erratic as 

 the Long-bill in its habits, and it may be found in the most unlooked for 

 localities. I may mention in conclusion that there are one or two doubtful 

 records of the nesting of the Short-billed Marsh Wren in this \'icinity. — 

 Richard F. Miller, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Breeding of the Tufted Titmouse in Washtenaw County, Michigan. — Of 

 rare occurrence within Washtenaw County, Mich., the Tufted Titmouse 

 (Bceolophus bicolor) has hitherto always been looked upon as a ■ninter \-isi- 

 tant. Some years, as in 1903, they have been fairly abundant, but gen- 

 erally speaking only an occasional one has been noted here during the 

 months from late fall to early spring, but never as a breeding species. Mr. 

 N. A. Wood of the LTniversity Museiun has frequently stated that he 

 beheved the bird would eventually be found as a summer resident within 

 the county. 



On ^lay 24, 1908, it was my good fortune to find a nest of this species 

 in an extensive swamp of oak, ash, ehn and maple with a tangled under- 

 growth of various shrubs, situated some seven or eight miles west of Ann 

 Arbor. The discovery was one of those accidents, so to speak, that fre- 

 quently occur in field-work and which lend an added charm to the study 

 of bird-life. It came about in the following manner. While preparing 

 to refresh the ' inner man ' my ear caught the clear, whistled peto, peto of 

 the Tufted Titmouse but the bird was not located until a few moments 

 later. At that time my companion drew my attention rather suddenly 

 to it on a rail-fence ahnost immediately in front of us where it appeared 

 to be examining the half-decayed rails for insects. Presently it secured a 

 large, white grub from one of them and with a whistle of exultation pro- 

 ceeded to beat and peck it about the head. Apparently becoming satisfied 

 with its condition after that operation the bird flew off into the woods 

 with its victim. Before its destination could be ascertained the titmouse 

 was back again examining the trees, hanging onto the leaves and tenninal 

 twigs just like a Chickadee. Its sweet, plaintive note, peto, peto or whe-o, 

 whe-o, was constantly in the air, coming from various parts of the wood- 



