384 



THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC. 



ii. 



the species has much the siimc timbre as the call-note ; it resembles the 



sylhiblcs chap chap— chap-chap, chap chap-chap-chap-p-p-rrrr ; 



but during the height of the love season it vents its feelings in u much 

 more ambitious refrain, one which, while it is everywhere varied and in 

 parts very miisical. is still conspicuous for the amount of chapperiug 

 that enters into its cotnposition. While singing, it is usually seen 

 clinging to the side of some tall swaying reed with its tail bent for- 

 ward so far jis almost to touch the head, thus exhibiting in an exag- 

 gerated manner a characteristic attitude of all the Wrens. 



This is less a species of the deep-water marshes than is the long- 

 billed member of the genus, and often it will be found in places 

 that are little more than damp meadows. It is remarkably mouselike 

 in its habits and movements, and can be flushed only with extreme 

 difficulty. Ernest E. Thompson. 



726. Cistothorus palustris ( WUs.). Long-billed Mak.su Wren. 



Ad. — Crowu olive-brown, blacker on the w'ulcs, iv white line over tlie eye ; 



buck black, streaked with wliite ; rump citi- 

 naiiion-browu; wings and tail burred; un- 

 der parts white ; nides waslied with gruyisli 

 brown. L., 5-20; W., l-'jo; T., l-()8; B., •.■)!>. 



linnge. — Eustern North America; breeds 

 from the Gulf Slates to Manitol)a and Massa- 

 chusetts; winters from the <iulf States, and 

 locally farther north, southward to Mexico. 



Wasliiu<,'ton, very numerous S. R., Apl. 

 30 to Oct. -W. Sin^' Slnjr, common S. R., 



May 10 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, locally abundant S. R., May 15 to Oct.; 



sometimes a few winter. 



Nest^ globulur, the entrance at one side, of coarse grnsses, reed stalks, etc., 



lined with fine grasses, nttaehed to reeds or bushes. Egyi^, five to nine, imi- 



forni, minutely speckled or thickly murked with cinnamon- or olive-brown, 



•05 X -49. 



If you would make the acquaintance of this Marsh Wren, you have 

 only to visit his home in the cat-tails and tall, reedy grasses bordering 

 river-s creeks, and sloughs. It will be unnecessary to announce your- 

 self; he will know of your presence long before you know of his, and 

 from the inner chambers of his dwelling will proceed certain scolding, 

 caching notes before this nervous, excitable bit of feathered life ap- 

 pears on his threshold. With many flourishes of the tail and much 

 bobbing and attitudinizing, lie inquires your business, but before you 

 have had time enough to inspect him he has darted back into his 

 damp retreats, and you can tell of his frequently changing position 

 only by his scolding, grumbling notes. 



All this time his neighbors— and he generally has numbers of 



Fio. 112. -Loner-hilled Marsh 

 AVren. (Natural size.) 



