162 NORTH AMi;iaCA.\ JJIHDS. 



Tliodiflereiicesbetwwii tiu'se two riice,s is much more appreciable than 

 tliuso between Tro!,l<,di,ks <nlon mu\ T. " pu rhiu, ,mi" ; tiie most striking 

 character i« the mucii k)nger liili of the var. pulndris. 



Specimens of tlie \iir. jjaludico/a Ironi the interior are paler and more 

 grayish-brown above, and liave less distinct bars on the tail-coverts and tail, 

 than in Pacific coast spccinu-ns, while on the crown the brown, instead of 

 the black, largely predominates. 



Habits. The common Alarsli AVivn api)ears to liave a nearly unrestricted 

 range througliout Xorfh America. It occurs on the Atlantic coi'ist from ^las- 

 saclaisetts to Florida, and from the Atlantic to the I'acili. , and as far north 

 as Wasiiington Territory on the west coast. A single s])ecinn-n was procured 

 in (Ireenland. It is not, however, at all common in these more northern 

 latitudes. Mr. Drumniond, of Sir Joini IJichards.iii's paity, met with it in 

 the r.5th i)arallel on the eastern declivity of the IJocky Mountains and in the 

 Saskatchewan Valley. Dr. Cooi)er found it early in .Marcii in tlie salt marshes 

 along the coast of Wasiiington Teiritory, and thinks it winter.) in that section. 

 On the Eastern coast it is not common as far north as Massaciiu.setts a k'w 

 being found at Camljridge and in I'.arnstable County. It is abuiulant near 

 Wa,sIiington, I). C, and throughout tin, country in all suitable locations south 

 and west from Pennsylvania. Mr. liidgway found it i.lentiful in I'tah. 



They frefpient low marsliy grounds, wliether near the sea or in the inte- 

 rior, and build in low Ijuslies, a few feet from the ground, a well-constructed 

 glolndar nest. On the Potomac, wliere the river is subject to irregular tides, 

 tliey are generally not less than five feet from the ground. 



These nests are nearly s])]ierical, and Ixitli in size and s]ia])e rcsemlde a 

 eocoanut. They are made externally of coarse sedges firndy interwi.ven, 

 the interstices l)eing cemented with cLiy or mud, and are imj)ervi(uis to 

 the weather. A small round orifice is left on one si(h^ for entrance, the up- 

 per side of whicli is also ])rotecteil from tlie rain by a ]irojectiiig edge. The 

 inside is lined with fine grasses, featiier.s, the down of the silk-weed, and 

 other soft and warm vegetable sul)stances. The.se birds arrive in tiie :\Iiddle 

 States early in May and leave early in Se|itcml)er. They have two broods 

 in the season, and eacli time coii.struct and occupy a new nest. 



Au(hd>on describes its nest as built antong sedges, anil as usually partly 

 constructed of the sedges among which the ne.st is l)uilt. fhis is tlu' usual 

 manner in which the ('. ,s^/Arm laiilds its ne.sf, but I have never known 

 (me (.f the jirescnt species biulding in tins manner, and in the locidities in 

 which they lireed, near the coast, being subject to irregular lieights of tides, 

 it could not lie done with safety. 



'I"he note of the Marsh AVren is a low, har.sli, grating cry, neither loud nor 

 nnisical, and more resembling the noi.se of an insect tlian tlie vocal utler- 

 ances of a bird. 



Their food consists diielly of small a(|Uatic insects, minute nioUusk.s 

 and the like, and these Ihey are very c.\pert in securing. 



