igZ Oberholser on a New Marsh Wren. T April 



mentioned by Professor Baird,' but was apparently not considered 

 as a subspecific distinction. 



The summer specimens of Cistot/wrus p. plcsius are all in much 

 worn plumage, but indicate what is borne out by the two spring 

 birds at hand, — that fall birds are, as would be expected, darker 

 and more richly colored, although among the fall specimens there 

 exists considerable individual variation, particularly in the brown 

 colors of the upper parts. 



A fall specimen from South Edmonton, Alberta, and one from 

 Fort Brown, Texas, are much brighter tawny above than any of 

 the others examined, but are both very much paler than paliistris. 

 One example from Fort Klamath, Oregon (U. S. N. M. No. 

 94757, Aug. 12, 1883), is rather intermediate between plesius and 

 paludicola, but is perhaps best referred to the former. A Novem- 

 ber specimen from the same locality is, however, quite typical of 

 plesius, having very probably migrated thither from the interior. 

 A bird from Fort Crook, Calif., taken on March 3 1, is quite typical 

 of the present race, and doubtless represents the breeding form at 

 this place, since at Eagle Lake, Calif., which lies in a similar and 

 neighboring region, C. p. plesius has been taken during the 

 summer season. A specimen from Caribou Road, British Colum- 

 bia, is not perfectly typical of the present subspecies, but some- 

 what approaches paludicola in the generally duller and rather 

 darker shades of the upper parts. In Arizona and adjacent parts 

 of Mexico there not infrequently occur fall examples which in 

 depth of color are clearly intermediates verging iowAxd'^ pa luJico/a ; 

 but such are usually somewhat nearer the Great Basin form. 



Although no Colorado specimens have been examined, plcsius 



undoubtedly extends eastward as far as the Rocky Mountains. 



Whether or not this form breeds in Texas remains yet to be 



ascertained, as the only specimens at hand are evidently migrants. 



Very typical examples of plesius have been taken at Miraflores, 



Lower California, and at Mazatlan, in the State of Sinaloa, 



Mexico, but these excepted, there are available none from Mexico 



south of the United States Boundary Line. The Long-billed 



Marsh Wren has been recorded by Mr. Sclater from Tomatlan, 

 » 



' Baird. Brewer and Ridgway, Hist. N. Am. Land Birds, I, 1S74, 162. 



