Family Muiotiltidce Water Thrush 67 



built in a thicket. Eggs are usually laid about the 

 end of May; there are always two and possibly 

 sometimes three sets. 



These birds sing more or less all day. The most 

 characteristic notes resemble the syllables " witch- 



J 



ity, witchity, witchity," sometimes varied to " wee- 

 chee-chee-wee," and again to a song much like that 

 of the yellow warbler. Especially in August the 

 bird sings during flight ; but the notes are quite un- 

 like the characteristic music, the entire flight-song 

 being thus described by Bicknell : ''And as the or- 

 dinary song with which it begins comes to an end 

 while yet the bird is in the air, the time is filled out 

 by a disarranged medley of notes very different from 

 the usual utterance." 



These song flights oftenest occur in the late after- 

 noon or toward evening. 



21. WATER THRUSH (Seiurus noveboracensis.} 



Upper parts dark olive-brown, with a yellowish line above the 

 eye; under parts sulphur yellow, heavily streaked with dark 

 brown. Beak long, dark ; the feet are said by Coues to be 

 dark, but they are at least occasionally light brown. Sexes 

 indistinguishable. 



THE water thrush is to be sought in swamps and 

 on the borders of brooks, ponds, and small lakes. 

 It comes to us in late May for a brief visit, and 

 again in early August for a stay of a couple of 



