1126 Repoet of State Geologist. 



Dr. J. L. Hancock informs me it was noted at Hammond, April 

 9, 1887, by Mr. Graham Davis. Mr. H. K. Coale has twice reported 

 it from Lake County: May 9, 1877, and July 4, 1881. July 34, 1894, 

 Mr. Alexander Black obtained a p^r of these birds from among the 

 sedge about an old mill pond, near Greeneastle. From the actions 

 of the bird, he suspected a nest. The next day he found a nest after 

 some search. It was built in a bunch of grass about eighteen inches 

 above the ground. The nest was made of grass blades worked into 

 the form of a ball, and was covered with the "saw grass" blades which 

 had been drawn and fastened upon the nest. There was a small 

 opening in the side. The nest was freshly built and contained no 

 eggs. Prom July 24 to September 6, several young Marsh Wrens 

 were taken there, some of them just able to fl.y. On the last date 

 mentioned, he and Mr. Jesse Earlle found a nest and one addled egg. 

 Once before, during migration, these birds had been taken in that 

 county. 



Mr. J. E. SlonaJier reports it from Vigo County, May 8, 1889. 



Mrs. Jane L. Hine noted it April 24. 1888, from Dekalb County. 



Subgenus Tklmathodttes Cabnnis. 



*304. (725) Cistothorus palustris (WiLs.). 



Xiong-billed Marsh Wren. 



Adult. — Bill over a half inch long; "dark brown above; crown and 

 middle of the back, blackish, nearly everywhere conspicuously streaked 

 with whit*; below, buffly- white, shading into pale brown on the sides 

 and behind; wings and tail, barred with blackish and light brown; 

 flanks, barred with dusky; throat and middle of belly, whitish" (ilc- 

 II wraith). 



Length, 4.25-5.50; wing, 1.80-2.12; tail, 1.60-1.90; bill, .54. 



Range. — Eastern Xorth America, from eastern Mexico north to 

 Massachusetts, Ontario and Manitoba; west to Rocky Mountains. 

 Breeds locally from Gulf coast, north. Winters from South Carolina, 

 south. 



Nest, an oblono- ball of marsh grass, sometimes plastered with mud, 

 attached to reeds, usually above the water, lined. with fine yrass or 

 vegetable do\\'n. Eggs, 6-10; chocolate-brown, sometimes marked 

 with darker brown; .66 by .4(). 



The Long-billed Marsh Wren is an ajaundant resident wherever 

 there are marshes. Elsewhere it is only a migrant and is rarely seen. 



Throughout the northern part of the State, and along the Wabash 

 Valley, wherever there are suitable localities, it breeds in numbers. 



