Cilstothorus stellaris . 

 Canton, l.!ass. Nests, Eggs and Breeding Habits. 



1893. At about 9 A.M. vre (JaoX and Charles Bowles and I) start- 



July 10. ed for the Meadow where the Marsh ".Yrens breed, following a 

 narrow wood path which leads dovm a long steep hillside 

 through oak and pine woods. On reaching the meadow we started 

 at once to search for Wrens 's nests and kept it up unceas^ing- 

 ly \intil 1 P.M. when we returned to the house. Although the 

 day was cool for the season we suffered severely from heat 

 and thirst for the grass was tall and dense aiid the walking 

 very hard. 



The scene of our labors was a meadow some 500 yards in 

 length by from 100 to 200 yards in width through which Ponka- 

 pog Brook winds its sluggish course. This Meadow is somewhat 

 higher than the Neponsett (Fowl) Meadows into and through whic?? 

 the brook afterwards flows. It is surroimded on every side 

 by maple and birch woods and is dotted here and there by 

 clmps of alders and other bushes. It is everywhere inter- 

 sected by narrow ditches which, however, fail to drain it eff 

 fectually for most of the ground is wet and in many places 

 covered with two or three inches of water. The growth of 

 grasses is unusually varied, large tracts or belts of "blue- 

 joint" (Phalaris) alternating with stretches of the shorter, 

 finer tussock grass (Carex striata) while considerable areas 

 were covered with the short, coarse, broad-leaved "cut-grass". 



