SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN. 
141 
base, compressed towards the end ; upper inaudible 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 5i ; bill along the ridge fi, along the 
edge T \ ; tarsus f J 5 . 
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. 
Vot, IT. 
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