riYLVICOLIDiE — THE WARBLERS. 289 



batioii, she merely flies off; but later, or when she has young, she tumbles 

 about ou the ground, spreads her wings and tail, utters piteous cries, and 

 seems as if in the last agonies of despau-. Tliis species Mr. Audubon never 

 met with farther east than Georgia, nor farther north than Henderson, Ky. 



Of late years, or since attention has been moie drawn to the specific 

 dilfereuce between this species and the Water Thrush, it lias apparently 

 become more numerous, and has been obtained in considerable numbers in 

 the vicinity of Washington. In that neighborhood, once considered so 

 rare, it was found by Dr. Coues to be not at aU uncommon at certain 

 seasons and in particular localities. From the 10th of April to the 20th 

 of May it was always to be met with among the dense laurel-brakes that 

 border the banks of and fill the ravines leading into Rock Creek and Piney 

 Branch. He believes they breed there, but they were not observed in the 

 fall. They were usually very shy, darting at once into the most impene- 

 trable brakes, but were at otiier times easily approached. He always found 

 them in pairs, even as early as the 20th of April. Their caU-note was a 

 sparrow-like chirp, as if made by sti'iking two pebbles together. They also 

 had a loud, beautiful, and melodious song, the singularity of which first drew 

 his attention to tlie bird. 



^Ir. Ridgway informs me that in the AYabash Valley this liird, familiarly 

 known as the "Water Wagtail," is an abundant summer sojourner. It inhab- 

 its the dampest situations in the bottom-lands, the borders of creeks, lagoons, 

 and swamps, living there in company with the Prothonotary Warbler {Pro- 

 tonotaria citrea). In its movements it is one of the quickest as well as the 

 most restless of the Bijhkolida: , though it is eminently terrestrial in its hab- 

 its. It is usually seen upon the wet ground, in a horizontal position, or even 

 the posterior part of its body more elevated, and its body continually tilting 

 up and down ; if it fancies itself unobserved, it runs slyly beneath the brush- 

 wood overhanging the shore ; but if startled, it flies up suddenly with a sharp 

 and startling chatter. He adds that in early spring (irom the latter part of 

 February to the beginning of April) its rich loud song may be heard before 

 the trees are in leaf, for it is one of the earliest of the Warblers to arrive. 

 When singing, it is usually perched ujion the lower branches of a tree over- 

 hanging the water, but he has frequently seen it among tlie topmost branches. 

 Wilson and Audubon have not exaggerated the merits of the song of this 

 bird, for among all its family there is certainly not one of our North Ameri- 

 can species that compares with it. In richness and volume of its very liquid 

 notes it is almost unrivalled, though the song itself may not be considered 

 otherwise remarkable. 



Mr. Salvin met this species in different portions of Guatemala in the months 

 of August, September, and November, 1859. A dry watercourse in the for- 

 est, or in the bottom of a barranco, seemed to be its favorite resort, while 

 its near congener, the novtboraccnaiii, was observed to seek ratlier the more 

 open streams. 



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