LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. 157 
NAMES: WINTER WREN.— Winterzaunkénig (German).—Troglodyte d’hiver (Le M.). 
SCIENTIFIC NAMES: TROGLODYTES HIEMALIS View. (1819). Anorthura hyemalis Coues (1861). 
Sylvia troglodytes Wilson (1808). Troglodytes europzus Bp. (1824). Anorthura troglodytes var. 
hyemalis Coues, Key. (1872). Troglodytes parvulus var. hyemalis Ridgw. (1873). 
DESCRIPTION: Sexes alike. Above, deep brown, darkest on head, brightest on rump and tail, waved 
obscure dusky, except on head; several of the primaries barred with white; an indistin@ whitish line 
over the eye. Under parts pale reddish-brown; belly, flanks, and under tail-feathers, barred with dusky 
and whitish. 
Length, 4 inches; wing, 1.66; tail, 1.26 inches. 
LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN. 
Cistothorus palustris BAIRD. 
ASO SEE NATURE in all her real glory the observer should rise early in the 
morning. This may appear to be a platitude, but only in the early hours of the 
day is nature animated with the highest degree of beauty, perfume, song, and happiness. 
In years gone by, I knew of no greater delight than to ramble about on the level 
grassy prairies of northern Illinois. Often, long before morning dawned, I strolled 
about in the woods, on the grassy, flower-adorned plain, or near one of those large 
marshes—or “sloughs,” as they are locally called —which are fringed by luxurious 
growths of sedges, reeds, bullrushes, and flags. Farther away from the shore, the fra- 
grant water-lily' and the yellow spatter-dock? flourish. Near the water’s edge we look 
for a hiding place to discover what is going on amidst the luxuriant vegetation. Dense 
clouds of mist still lie over the water and the adjoining prairie, imparting to the scene 
a desolate and dreary appearance. But the grayness of dawn soon disappears, the 
mist vanishes before the rising sun. The sweet-scented, white blossoms of the water- 
lilies raise their heads above the water’s surface. Shy Gallinules nimbly run over the 
broad lily leaves, and a few Red-winged Blackbirds are seen in the rank bullrushes, 
smoothening their plumage. The constant, tremulous motions of the reeds make it 
evident that some other living being is moving among them. Attentively we gaze at 
those places where the reeds tremble most, but in vain do we look for a bird to take 
wing. But as the sun rises above the horizon we notice a plain little bird darting 
rapidly about among the reeds. As we draw nearer, we find that quite a number of 
these birds move about among the reeds and sedges, and by their peculiar motions we 
feel convinced that a colony of Lonc-BILLED MarsH Wrens has taken up its abode here. 
Like many other of our feathered inhabitants of swamps and low-lands, the Marsh 
Wren is but little known. The peaty shores of lakes and rivers, the swamps and 
marshes overgrown with wild rice’, bullrushes or tulé*, and a host of other water plants 
possess little attraction for most people, in consequence of. which the birds inhabiting 
such places are but little known, except to the naturalist. 
1 Nympheza tuberosa, 2 Nuphar advena. 3 Zizania aquatica. 4 Scirpus lacustris. 
