300 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



The Wrens are wholly beneficial, ninety-eight per cent, of their food 

 consisting of insects; grasshoppers, bugs, caterpillars and spiders 

 being the most important articles of diet. 



722 Nannus hiemalis (Vieillot). 

 Winter Wren. 



PLATE 78. 



Adults. Length, 3.50-4. Wing, 1.85. Above, russet brown, brighter on the 

 rump and tail ; wings, tail, and posterior half of back more or less distinctly 

 barred with black, light areas on the outer wing feathers paler ; under surface 

 pale cinnamon ; flanks, abdomen and under tail-coverts barred or mottled with 

 black and dull white ; a pale line over the eye ; some concealed white spots on 

 the basal parts of the upper tail-coverts. 



Tolerably common winter resident. Arrives September 25th, de- 

 parts April 20th. 



This little short-tailed edition of the House, Wren takes its place 

 with us during the winter, inhabiting brush piles, and bobbing in and 

 out under the banks of streams. His note while with us is an inquisi- 

 tive little "pip-pip" as he bobs up and down on his short legs, with 

 no suspicion of the wonderful tinkling melody that pours from his 

 throat in his northern forest home. 



724 Cistothorus stellaris (Lichteirstein). 

 Short-billed Marsh Wren, 



Adults. Length, 3.75-4.50. Wing, 1.75. Above, head and back, black; 

 streaked with brownish white ; forehead and nape, nearly uniform brown ; 

 rump and upper tail-coverts, rusty, the latter barred with black and dull white ; 

 wings and tail, blackish brown, barred with light brown and dull white ; lower 

 surface, dull white ; sides of body, breast and under tail-coverts, cinnamon. 



Young in first summer. Duller and paler below. 



Nest a globular structure of woven grass on or near the ground ; eggs, six to 

 eight, pure white, .64 x .48. 



Summer resident in the northern part of the State; common lo- 

 cally; rare winter visitant or transient in southern New Jersey. 



This bird is known to me only as a rare transient or winter visitor 

 in the swamps of southern New Jersey, where it is usually flushed 



