NEW YORK OR AQUATIC THRUSH. 353 



habit of moving the tail. In T. aurocapillus, the white and spotted 

 eggs, very artful nest, and usual monotonous rattling notes, are ex- 

 ceptions to its arrangement either in Sylvia or Turdus^ except as a 

 subgenus. 



NEW YORK OR AQUATIC THRUSH. 



{Turdus 7ioveboracenis, Nobis. T. aquaticus, Addubon, pi. 19. 

 Wilson, iii. p. QQ. pi. 23. fig. 5. Sylvia noveboracensis , Latham 

 and BoNAP. Phil. Museum, No. G89G.) 



Sp. Charact. — Dark olive ; beneath and line over the eye yellow- 

 ish white ; breast and sides with dusky pencil-shaped spots. 



This shy and retiring sylvan species extends its sum- 

 mar migrations throughout the United States, breeding 

 rarely in Pennsylvania, proceeding principally to the 

 mountainous Western and Northern regions at the pe- 

 riod of incubation. 



The New York Warbler has a particular partiality for 

 the vicinity of waters, wading in the shallow streams in 

 search of aquatic insects, moving its tail as it leisurely 

 follows its pursuit, and chattering as it flies. During its 

 transient migrating visits it is very timid, and darts into 

 the thickets as soon as approached, uttering a sharp and 

 rather plaintive tshq)' of alarm. About the beginning of 

 May, it appears in Pennsylvania from the South, and 

 stays around dark and solitary streams for 10 or 12 days, 

 and then disappears until about the middle of August, 

 when, on their way to their tropical winter quarters, they ' 

 leave the swamps and mountains of their summer retreat, 

 and, after again gleaning a transient subsistence for a 

 few days towards the sea-coast, depart for the season. In 

 Massachusetts, they are scarcely ever seen except in the 

 autumn, and continue in shady gardens, probably feed- 

 30* 



