SEIURUS NOVEBORACENSIS, WATER THRUSH. 71 



notes, for its habit of rambling and scratching on the ground, among 

 fallen leaves, like a Towhee, and for its curious arched-over nest. Upon, 

 its arrival in the Middle IStates, about the second -week in April, it is 

 shy and silent for a week or two, as if getting accustomed to its new 

 resorts; when, grown bolder, it no longer courts concealment, but 

 mounts the lower boughs of the trees in the open woodland, and its loud 

 harsh notes fill the air. There is nothing of the half-aquatic nature of 

 its relatives in this bird ; it prefers dry woods, especially where there is 

 a thick undergrowth. Its nest is placed on the ground, usually among 

 dead leaves, on an inclined surface, and though usually arched over, with 

 a lateral opening, is often of simpler construction. It is built of leaves, 

 moss, and dried grasses; the eggs are four or five in number, white, 

 speckled with reddish-brown. Probably more than one brood is reared 

 each season ; the young, almost from the first, are quite like the parents, 

 excepting that the orange-brown is not so bright. The species is very 

 constant in size and coloring. 



SEIUEUS NOVEBORACENSIS, (Gm.) Nutt. 



Water Tbrusb. 



MotaciIIa norehoracensis, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 958. 



Si/liia iionJjoracensif!, Lath., liul. Oru. ii, 1790, 518. — ViEiLL., Ois. Am. Sept. ii, 1807, 26, 



pi. 8-i.-Bp., Syn. 1828, 77. 

 Turdus (iSciiinis) tiovcljoracensw, Nutt., Man i, 1832, 353. 

 Seiiirus noveboracensis, Bp., Conip. and Geog. List, 1838. — Br., Cousp. Av. i, 1850, 306. — 



Avv., Syu. 1839, 93.— Aud., B. Am. iii, 37 (iu part; confounds it with S. ludo- 



vidanus).—QT>., B. N. A. 1858, 281 ; Rev. 1865, 215.— Dall & Banx., Tr. Chic. 



Acad, i, 1869.— Havd., Rep. 1862, 160.— Coop., Am. Nat. iii, 1862, 32 (Hell 



Gate). — SuMiCH., Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1869, 547 (Orizaba).— Lawp.., Ann. Lye. 



1868, 94 (Costa Rica) ; 1869, 200 (Yucatan).- CoUES, Key, 1872, 106, pi. 2, figs. 



9, 10, 11 ; and of late United States writers. 

 Henicoclchia novehoractnsin, Cab., Schomb. Guiana, iii, 1848, 666; Mus. Heiu. 1851, 16; 



J. f. O. 1860, 324.— SCL., Cat. Ia61, 25.— Gundl., J. f. 0. 1861, 32(i.— ScL. & Salv., 



P. Z. S. 1869, 251 (Venezuela).— ScL., P. Z. S. 1870, 836 (Honduras). 

 Enicoc'u'hla noveboracensis, Gray, Genera of Birds. 

 Turdus aqnaticus, WiLS., Am. Oru. iii, 1811, (jG, pi. 23, f. 5. — AuD., Oru. Biog. v, 1839, 



284, pi. 433. 

 Sclurus aqnaticus, Sw. & Ricii., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 229, pi. 43. 

 S)jhia auihoides, Vieill., Nouv. Diet. d'll. N. 1817, 208. 



Seiurus tcuuirostris, Sw., Phil. Mag. i, 1827, 369.— Gajib., Pr. Phila. Acad, i, 1843, 261. 

 Seiurits sulfnrascens, D'Okbig., La Sagra's Cuba, Ois. 1840, 57, pi. 6. 

 Seiurus gossii, Bp., Cousp. Av. i, 1850, 306. 

 "(l)Anthus rhcrminicri, Lkss., Rev. Zool. 1839, 101." 



Hub. — Eastern North America, straggling westward along the United States* Bonud- 

 ary to Montana (Coojjcr) and Washington Territory. Alaska. Arizona. Mexico. AVest 

 Indies. Central America. Northern South America. 



Lieutenant llarren^s Expedition. — 4721, 4818, mouth of Vermilion River. 



Not obtained )>y Captain Ray nobis' E.\peditiou. 



Formerly supposed to belong to the Eastern Province, this bird has 

 later been shown to inhabit so many other portions of North America, 

 that it may iairly be inferred that it occurs also in the remaining locali- 

 ties wlience, simidy tinough lack of observations, it has not been re- 

 corded. 1 inspected, when working n[} tUe birds of the Northwest 

 Boundiiry Survey, some of the first western specimens, taken in Wasli- 

 ington Territory. INIr. Dall has shown its occurrence in Ala.ska, and 

 others throughout British America, (pute to thii Arctic Ocean. Dr. 

 Cooper found it in I<laho. Tlie extralimitid (piotations are numerous 

 and almo.st universal. It is a very abundant species in tlie I'>astern 

 United States, and has a very extensive bree<ling range. It winters in 

 Florida and along the Gulf coast, as well as much further south. 



