°/gg 1 Obekholser on a Nezv Marsh Wren. IQC 



than middle toe without claw; and the wings and tail also average 

 somewhat less. 



The most conspicuous characters which separate this subspecies 

 ixom. palustris are the presence of regular and distinct bars on the 

 tail-coverts and middle rectrices ; these differences, particularly 

 the latter, being not, however, entirely constant. The bill of 

 paludicola is much shorter than that of palustris ; the wings and 

 tail average somewhat longer. The Pacific Coast form is also 

 usually much tinged with brownish below, instead of being nearly 

 pure white as in palustris. The upper parts, though almost as 

 dark, are more sooty in color, and while there exists considerable 

 individual variation in the ratio of the light and dark areas on the 

 pileum, yet in none of the specimens is the dark portion so nearly 

 black as in normal examples oi palustris. 



One Long-billed Marsh Wren from Fort Tejon, Calif., and 

 three obtained on the Colorado River, in Sonora, by the 

 naturalists of the Mexican Boundary Commission, are quite 

 typical of paludicola^ but are evidently migrants. 



Specim.ens of Cistothorus palustris paludicola from the following 

 localities have been examined, those taken in the breeding season 

 being designated by an asterisk : 



Washington. — -Slioalwater Bay. 



California. — Maiiii County; Humboldt Ba\- ; Fort Tejon; San Fran- 

 cisco ; Stockton.* 



Sonora. — Colorado River, opposite mouth of Rio Hardy. 



The difficulties attending identification of the western forms of 

 the Long-billed Marsh Wren have induced the present detailed 

 treatment of the subject. These difficulties, as is so often the 

 case with subspecies, consist in the more or less inconstancy of 

 many of the characters assigned. Specimens frequently occur 

 which do not present all the characters of a particular race ; 

 and since such specimens must be identified by the average of 

 characters presented, the necessity for very complete diagnoses 

 becomes at once apparent. 



The writer wishes to express to Dr. C. Hart Merriam and to 

 Dr. E. A Mearns his appreciation of their kindness in regard to 

 the loan of specimens ; and for the same and other courtesies he 



