Family Troglody tides Marsh Wren 57 



FAMILY TROGLODYTID^l. 



13. LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN 



(Cistothorus palustris.} 



Upper parts in general brown, darker on the head ; back with a 

 triangular patch of black and white mottling ; wings and tail 

 marked with blackish ; under parts grayish white in the middle, 

 brownish on the sides. Bill very long and slender, lower man- 

 dible pale at the base ; feet brown. Bird rather less than two- 

 thirds the size of a sparrow. Sexes similar. 



THE marsh wrens should be sought in such 

 swampy regions as are destitute of trees and shrubs, 

 but filled with reeds ; and the swamps may be 

 either salt or fresh water ones. The long-bill 

 comes to us about the middle of May, and leaves 

 again in October, but rarely or never goes farther 

 north. He lives in colonies ; and should his domain 

 be invaded, he makes known his displeasure by an 

 angry scolding which betrays the secret he desires 

 to guard. 



Their postures are sometimes very comical ; a 

 favorite attitude is with the tail thrown ^tp until it 

 almost covers the back and the head lowered. In 

 this position they have a peculiar swaying motion, 

 back and forward^ as if they were on a pivot, and in 

 this position they sing most frequently. Others mav 

 be seen scrambling like little mice up and down the 



