Upper parts dull greenish-brown, wings and tail dark chocolate-brown, lower parts pale yellow; a streak of the latter from the bill over the eye; loral space, and a streak behind the eye dusky; cheeks yellowish-grey, streaked with brown; the whole fore part and sides of the neck, the breast, and sides, marked with triangular blackish-brown spots, which are more elongated on the sides; abdomen and lower tail-coverts unspotted; bill dusky; feet flesh-coloured and transparent. Individuals vary, the throat sometimes without spots, the lower parts pale or yellowish-white, the feet dusky tinged with purple.
Male, 62/12, 91/2. Female, 58/12, 87/12.
In winter resident from Texas to Florida, including Louisiana. In summer migrates as far as the Fur Countries. Not Abundant.
Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. iii. p. 66.
Sylvia novæboracensis, Bonap. Syn. p. 77.
Seiurus aquaticus, Aquatic Accentor, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 229.
New York or Aquatic Thrush, Turdus novæboracensis, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 353.
Louisiana Water Thrush, Turdus ludovicianus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 99.
Common Water Thrush, Turdus aquaticus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. v. p. 284.
GENUS II. ANTHUS, Bechst. PIPIT.
Bill of moderate length, straight, very slender, as broad as high at the base, compressed toward the end; upper mandible with the ridge narrow at the base, the notches slight, the tip a little deflected; lower mandible with the dorsal line straight, the edges involute, the tip acute. General form very slender. Tarsus of moderate length, much compressed; toes slender; claws arched, extremely compressed, acute, that of the hind toe much elongated. Plumage soft and blended. Wings long; the outer three quills about equal and longest; inner secondaries tapering, one of them nearly as long as the outer primaries when the wing is closed. Tail rather long, emarginate.
150. 1. Anthus Ludovicianus, Lichtenstein. American Pipit.
Plate X. Male and Female. Plate LXXX. Young.
Hind claw longer than the toe, slightly arched, and very slender. Male, in winter plumage, with the bill dusky, the legs and claws deep greenish-brown; upper parts greyish-olive, tinged with green, and obscurely streaked with dusky; a whitish band over the eye, cheeks brown; lower parts brownish-white, the throat white, the sides and lower part of the neck, fore part of breast, and sides of body marked with elongated, distinct, blackish-brown spots; quills and tail-feathers dusky, margined with greenish-grey, the lateral tail-feathers half white, the next obliquely white at the end. Female similar. Male in summer with the bill black, the upper parts olive-brown, tinged with grey; a greyish-white line over the eye, cheeks greyish-brown; lower parts light yellowish-grey, the fore neck and breast often deeply tinged with red, and marked with short, slender, brownish-black spots, the sides streaked; quills and tail-feathers as in winter with the pale margins less distinct. Young more tinged with green above, the bill paler, with a great part of the lower mandible yellowish-red, the lower parts pale yellowish-grey, with an obscure lunule of brownish-black on the fore neck, the lower part of which and the sides are streaked with dark brown, and tinged with reddish-brown.
Male, 61/2, 101/2.