286 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



of spring in such localities. In notes, as well as in manners, Mr. Kidgway 

 has noticed little diflereuce between this species and S. ludoviciaivus. 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 tlie 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 ]\Iay, a ibrt- 

 night earlier than iMr. Allen noted their arrival in Springfield. i\Ir. "W-rrill 

 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 iu 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 wa^ 

 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-biHJwn, cuntrasted witli the bright 

 gi-een of the mossy exterior, and set off' to advantage by the consjjicuous and 

 unique lining, jiroduce a very beautiful effect. 



Mr. George A. Boardman of Calais, ^le., an observing and accurate natu- 

 ralist, has furnished me with the following interesting account of tlie habits 

 of this species and its congener, the aurompillus, in a letter dated St. 

 Stephen, March 23, 1867. "Did you ever notice their walk du (he ground ? 

 You know that most of our birds are hoppers. These two, S. nucchoracensis 

 and S. mirocapillus, liave a beautiful gliding walk, and of all our other birds 

 I only remember two that are not hopjjers, the Anthus ludovicianus and 

 Molothrus pecoris. I do not think that a naturalist should ever say, as 

 Wilson was constantly doing, that any bird has no note or song whatever, 

 unless he is well acquainted with them, at all times, especially while breed- 

 ing. Many birds seem really to have nothing to say except when mating. 

 I think that our little walker, the Water Thrush, has been particularly ill 

 used by writers in this respect, for I regard liim as one of our liveliest sing- 

 ers. Its note is very high and clear, begins with a sudden outburst of melody, 

 so as almost to startle you, is very clear and ringing, as if the bird had just 

 found its mate after a long absence. It tlien keeps falling until you can 

 hardly hear it. Its note is very sweet, and can be heard when you are in a 

 canoe or boat a very long ways. Like most of our Warblers and Thrushes, 

 when singing, they do not like intrusion, and it was a long wliile betbre I 

 could make out the bird that uttered these notes. I could only do it by 

 going iu a boat or canoe. They hide in thick trees, over the water, where it 



