BIRDS OF KANSAS. 617 



longer than the lateral, shorter than the middle; lateral toes about equal; hind 

 toe longer than or equal to its digit. Wings rather longer than tail, all the 

 feathers of which are much graduated; the lateral only two-thirds the middle. 

 The feathers narrow. Back black, conspicuously streaked with white." 



SUBGEXUS CISTOTHORUS. 



" Bill short, stout; its depth equal to one-half its length from the nostril; 

 gonys straight, or even convex, ascending. Crown streaked; no distinct super- 

 ciliary stripe." 



Cistothorus stellaris (LICHT.). 



SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. 

 PLATE XXXIV. 



Summer resident; rare. Arrive the last of April to first of 

 May; begin laying the last of May to first of June; leave for 

 the south the last of October to middle of November. 



B. 269. R. 68. C. 81. G. 29, 315. U. 724. 



HABITAT. Eastern United States and more southern British 

 possessions; west to the Great Plains. Breeds occasionally 

 throughout its range, but chiefly north of latitude 41. Win- 

 ters in Gulf States, and probably a little southward. 



SP. CHAR. "Bill very short, scarcely half the length of the head. Wing 

 and tail about equal. Hinder part of the crown, and the scapular and iuterscap- 

 ular region of the back and rump, almost black, streaked with white. Tail 

 dusky, the feathers barred throughout with brown (the color grayish on the 

 under surface). Beneath, white; the sides, upper parts of breast and under 

 tail coverts reddish brown. Upper parts, with the exception mentioned, red- 

 dish brown. The flanks and under tail coverts are sometimes of a dull buffy 

 ochraceous hue." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 4.50 5.80 1.85 1.70 .62 .40 



Female... 4.25 5.50 1.70 1.60 .62 .38 



Iris dark brown; bill upper dusky, under pale at base; legs, 

 feet and claws brown; bottoms of feet dull yellowish. 



I am very familar with the habits of this species, especially 

 upon their breeding grounds in Wisconsin; but feel that I can 

 not add anything of interest to the following pleasing and accu- 

 rate description, taken from Mr. Nehrling's interestingly written 

 work on "North American Birds," (now being published in 

 parts): 



"The Short-billed Marsh Wren is found in great numbers in 

 some localities in Wisconsin and Illinois, and thence eastward to 



