SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. 141 



base, compressed towards the end; upper mandible with the dorsal outline 

 slightly arched, the sides convex towards the end, the edges sharp, the tip 

 narrow but rather, obtuse; lower mandible also much compressed, with the 

 dorsal line straight, the sides nearly erect and slightly rounded, the sharp 

 edges inflected. Nostrils basal, lateral, oblong, with an arched membrane 

 above, open and bare. Head rather compressed, neck and body short. 

 Legs of ordinary length; tarsus compressed, anteriorly covered with six 

 scutella, posteriorly with a long plate forming a sharp edge; toes scutellate 

 above, the second and fourth nearly equal, the hind toe much stronger, with 

 a much larger claw, the third and fourth united as far as the second joint; 

 claws arched, much compressed, acute. 



Plumage soft and blended. No bristly feathers about the bill. Wings 

 short, broad, rounded, first quill about half the length of the second, which 

 is considerably shorter than the third, fourth, and fifth, which are nearly 

 equal, the fourth, however, being the longest. Tail of ordinary length, 

 graduated, of twelve narrow rounded feathers. 



Bill dusky above, pale brownish-yellow beneath. Iris dark hazel. Feet 

 pale flesh-colour. The upper parts are blackish-brown, each feather with 

 a brownish- white line along the shaft, and the outer edge towards the end 

 reddish-brown. Wings dusky, the outer edges barred with pale yellowish- 

 brown on the outer webs. Upper tail-coverts and tail similarly barred. 

 Throat and central part of the breast greyish-white, the rest of the lower 

 parts pale reddish-brown, the sides under the wings faintly barred with 

 dusky. 



Length 4f inches, extent of wings 5-f ; bill along the ridge ■£§, along the 

 edge T 6 2-; tarsus -f§. 



Adult Female. 



The female resembles the male, and the young birds are distinguishable 

 only by having the bill shorter, and the lower parts more tinged with red. 



The Common Marsh Wren (Plate 123) is very closely allied to the 

 present species, and the two form part of a group which Vieillot dis- 

 tinguishes by the name of Thyrothorus. 



Vol. II. 24 



