TltOGLODYTID.li — THE WUliNS. 101 



in the i.mrslu^s of Conuec ticut Uiver, near Hartford ; and in Illinois Mr. Ken- 

 nicott lound it anion- the loi.g grasses bordering on the prairie sloughs. 



In Massachusetts I have occasionally met with tiieu' nests, but only late 

 in July, when the rank grass of tiie low meadows lias been cut. These 

 were probably their second brood. The nest being built close to the ground, 

 and made of the living grasses externally, the> are n.jt distinguishable from 

 tlie unoccupied tussocks tiiat surround them. 



Cistothorus palustris, Bxum 



lONG-BILLED MABSH WREN. 



Vnr. imlustris. 



Certhin paluslris, Wn..soN, Am. On.. 11. ISIO, 58, pi. -xii, %. 4 (IVniia). Troglodyk. pn- 

 hixtris, Hon. 01.S. Wils. 1S-24, no. (Hi. — .\ri). Oiu. lUoj;. 1, 1831, 5(10, \A. c. — lli. 

 Hints Am. 11, 1841, 1:!.'), pi. ixxiii. ^ liKisiLMUvr, Ibis, 18G1, 5 ((iodtliaab, (iiwii- 

 lan.l). Thruothonix i>'ihixtrh, Nrrr. Man. 1, 18:V.>, i:i'.". cishthnriix (TdnwImiiikH) 

 lMlustri.% HaU!!), Hinls N. A]i.. 185S, ;i(il ; li.'V. 147. -~ Sil-ATKU, Catal. 1801, -li. 

 Thr>jotho,ns ariai<luimr„s, Vn-,|],i,..T, X.mv. Diet. .\X.\1V, 1819, 58 (not Tiy. 

 nnimiiii'iiriix, Vir.ll.l.oH. Tlirnutliunix i,ni,idimu;Ms, Hon. Consp. 185(1, 220. Td- 

 matodi/tcs (iriiiiiliiiiictiis, ('ah. Mils, llrin. 185(1; 78. 



Hah. Ea.stiMii ruitcl Siatf.s fiom tlif Mis.-oiiri Rivur ; (irLviilaiiciy Rkinhaki.t ; 

 Mo.xico, ami (liuitt'iiuila V Conlova. Sii.ATiat. 



Var. iiiiliKlicoln. 



Cistothonis i,„l„sMs, var. ,ml,i<liod.,, Haiiu.. \U■^. .\m. H. 18(14, 148. Tvn,,M„Us ,,„lm. 

 trh, Nicwii. 1'. K. Ki'p. VI iv, 1H57, 80 (I'a.ili.- ivf,'ioii). CislnllwrKs jm!i(sl,-h, Coockr 

 & SiiKi.F.v, r. K. IJi'P- ^. "• '^'''•'' ^'•"' *^^- T.)- Cooi'Kii, (»in. (-'al. I. 1870, 75. 

 Cailiin /iiilii.slris, l.oiiii, I'r. 1!. Art. Inst. IV, 117. 



Sp. CiiAi!. Hill about as loni; as lit'ii.l. Tail an. 1 winj.' nearly ciiual. I'lipcr pnrt.s ol' .i, 

 (lull nMl.li.sb-browii, cxci'pl on llic crown, inliMs.'ai)nlar region, out<M- suHacc of terlial.s, 

 and tail-fcalluM-.s, wliicli arc nlniost black: ibc tirst wilb a median patch like llic frromid- 

 color ; liic second with short stronks of while, extcndin^f round on the sides of the ni'ck ; 

 the third indented with brown; the fourth barred with whitish, dcreasiui;- in lunount 

 from the outer feather, which is marked from the b.iM. to the lifth. where it is coidined to 

 the tips; the two iniddle feathers above like the back, and barred tiiroiigiiont with dusky. 

 Iteneath ratlier pure white, the sides and under tail-.'overls of a liglitcr shade of brown than 

 tlie back : a white streak over the eye. I-cujrih, 'i.oO ; wim;', '2.(18; tail, '2.(11). (.1. ••"'•<•) 

 Hau. I'acilic Coa.st and .Mitldie I'roviucc of 'nited Stales. 



In comparing a series of Marsh Wrens of eastern North America with 

 western, we iind that they dilVer very apinvciably in certain characteristics, 

 which may be expressed by the following diagnoses: — 



Hill lentJthened, eipial to tarsus. Tinl-covcrls above and below cuher perfectly 

 plain, or with very obsolete bands, reduced to obsim-c spots beneath. Itauds 

 on tail liroken : scarcely iippreciabic on the middle f.'at hers . . var. /m I n s t r i s . 



Hill shorter llian tarsus. Tail-eoverts distinctly banded all acro.ss. Hiuids on tail 



.piite distinct ; appreciable on the central fci;thers . . . var. ;>((/ 1( (//c'>/(( . 



•21 



