CHAPTER IV 



A FAMILY GROUP OF LIVELY SINGERS 



Maesh Wren — ^House Wren — Carolina Wren- 

 Brown Thrasher — Catbird — Mocking-bird 



The Marsh Wren 



Length — 1.5 to 5.2 inches. Actually a little smaller than 

 the English sparrow. Apparently half the size. 



Male and Female — Brown above, with white line over the 

 eye, and the back irregularly and faintly streaked with 

 white. Wings and tail barred with darker cinnamon- 

 brown. Underneath white. Sides dusky. Tail long 

 and often carried erect. Bill extra long and slender. 



Range — ^United States and southern British America. 



Migrations — ^May. September. Summer resident. 



Hidden among the tall grasses and reeds along the 

 creeks and rivers lives the long-billed marsh wren, a ner- 

 vous, active little creature that you know at a glance. 

 With tail cocked up and even tilted forward toward her 

 head in the extreme of wren fashion, or suddenly jerked 

 downward to help keep her balance, she sways with the 

 grass as it blows in the wind — a dainty little sprite. With 

 no desire to make your acquaintance, she flies with a short, 

 jerky motion (because of her short wings) a few rods away, 



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