two they had in view. And even now the distribution in summer of the ludovicianus is hardly definable with precision.
Wilson describes the habits of those he observed in Pennsylvania as evincing a remarkable partiality for brooks, rivers, ponds, and the vicinity of water generally, wading in shallow pools in search of aquatic insects, and giving, as it moves it along, an almost continuously vibratory motion to its tail. He speaks of it as very shy, darting away with signs of alarm whenever approached, and uttering a sharp cry. In all other respects his account of this bird probably refers to the Louisiana species.
This is also, without doubt, true of nearly all Audubon gives in connection with the history of this Thrush, which in all probability does not breed in Louisiana, nor remain there through April, being at that time well on its way to more northern regions.
Mr. Gosse, in his notes on the birds of Jamaica, states that this bird reappears in that island about the end of August. He noticed them about the muddy margins of ponds, and they soon became abundant. Individuals were also to be seen running on the road, especially near the sea-shore, and by the edges of morasses. They ran rapidly, often waded up to their tibiæ in water, or ran along the twigs of a fallen tree at the brink, and now and then flew up into the branches of a pimento or an orange-tree. Whether running or standing, they were continually flirting up their tails, after the manner of the European Wagtail. During its winter residence in Jamaica it has no song, only a monotonous cry, a sharp chip. Its stomach was found to contain water-insects and shells. Mr. March has noticed their arrival in Jamaica as early as August 5. They all leave by the first of April.
Mr. Allen found these birds not uncommon both in spring and in fall in the vicinity of Springfield. He thinks a few breed there, as he has met with them in the months of June, July, and August, very sparingly however. They arrive about the 12th of May. I have once, at least, met with its nest and eggs near Boston.
Dr. Coues says this bird is quite common, both in the spring and fall, near Washington, and breeds sparingly, having been found there in July. They arrive about the first of May, are eminently aquatic, frequent swampy thickets and thick dark woods interspersed with pools, where they associate with the Solitary Tatler.
In Southern Illinois this species, Mr. Ridgway states, is found only during its migrations and in mild winters. He never met with it in the breeding-season, when the S. ludovicianus is so abundant. But it returns early from the North, and he has shot numbers of them in August. During the whole fall they are common about all swampy places, or the margin of creeks in the woods; and in mild winters a few are found in the swamps of the bottom-lands, where the dense forest affords them comfortable shelter. On warm days in December and January, he has heard them singing with all the vigor
of spring in such localities. In notes, as well as in manners, Mr. Ridgway has noticed little difference between this species and S. ludovicianus. The song, however, is decidedly weaker, though scarcely less sweet, and the two are very easily distinguished at sight by one familiar with them.
These birds breed, though they are not very abundant, in the vicinity of Calais, and also in the western part of Maine. Professor Verrill states that they reached the neighborhood of Norway, Me., about the first of May, a fortnight earlier than Mr. Allen noted their arrival in Springfield. Mr. Verrill demonstrated the fact of their breeding in Western Maine, by finding, June 8, 1861, a nest and eggs in a dense cedar swamp near Norway. This was built in an excavation in the side of a decayed moss-covered log, the excavation itself forming an arch over the nest in the manner of, yet different from, that of the Golden-crowned. The nest itself was an exceeding beautiful structure, four and a half inches in diameter, but only an inch and a half in depth, being very nearly flat, the cavity only half an inch deep. The entire base was made of loose hypnum mosses, interspersed with a few dead leaves and stems. The whole inner structure or lining was made up of the fruit-stems of the same moss, densely impacted. The outer circumference was made up of mosses and intertwined small black vegetable roots.
This nest contained five eggs, the brilliant white ground of which, with their delicately shaded spots of reddish-brown, contrasted with the bright green of the mossy exterior, and set off to advantage by the conspicuous and unique lining, produce a very beautiful effect.