146 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 7-Nu. 19 



dried form quite a compact structure for 

 the reception of the inner uest formed of 

 more mixed materials, some grape vine 

 bark, green moss, small stems, grass, and 

 in one from a hemlock swamjj a large pro- 

 portion of small, slender hemlock twigs. 

 Fine grass enters largely into the compo- 

 sition of the lining, and in one uest I 

 found mixed considerable cow's hair from 

 the adjacent pasture, also a black moss that 

 grows from the stones at the bottom of 

 shaded woodland streams. In some a few 

 fine roots and the red stems that bear the 

 seed capsules of common green moss. The 

 nest is usually set back into some recess 

 among the roots where a tuft of them 

 closely overhang it. The bird does not 

 build any arch to its nest, but always seems 

 to seek for a natural one, and I have seen 

 a nest built upon so slight a foundation to 

 secure the desired covering, that a large 

 heap of nesting materials that had failed 

 to find lodgment were piled up under the 

 nest enough to fill a peek measure. I have 

 foimd two exceptions to this site, both on 

 a brook bank ; one in a small clump of 

 Clethra around the basis of which had 

 accumulated a heap of leaves on the verge 

 of the bank, and the nest was inserted 

 deep among these leaves about two feet 

 from the water. This nest was oeeujiied 

 two seasons, and although I passed within 

 a few feet of it many times, and searched 

 dilligeutly, it remained undiscovered until 

 occupied by a brood of young. The sec- 

 ond season I secured a set of eggs from 

 this nest. The other exception alluded to 

 was where a stream had washed away its 

 bank in the woods, and the turf droi:)ped 

 over the washed out place. Under this 

 turf was securely concealed the nest which 

 I could not have seen had not the bird 

 sprung out as I passed very near. This 

 was the 12th of May, 1881, and the eggs, 

 nearly fresh, were fi^•e, which appears to 

 be the usual niimber, but the same day I 

 secured another extreme set of six. In- 

 cubation was later than usual that season. 



for I have taken complete sets by May 7th. 

 and have seen young out of the nests by 

 May 23d in some seasons, biit I think the 

 young birds mature rajjidly. It is not 

 difficult to find the nests after they have 

 young, for the birds are then very demon- 

 strative and feed them almost constantly, 

 being by no means shy about it. I found 

 four nests with young in 1879, and watched 

 for them the succeeding year, and every 

 pair occupied the old nest, and gave me 

 four nice sets ; but 1881 came and they all 

 failed me but one. They found new nest- 

 ing sites and eluded me. Only one bii-d 

 has fallen short of the standard number of 

 five successively. Two successive years I 

 secui-ed completed sets of only four in the 

 same nest. This bird was also later with 

 her nesting, having fresh eggs the 17th 

 and the 24th of May for the two respec- 

 tive seasons. One of these sets taken in 

 1880 is before me and is a fair representa- 

 tive set of the species, though I observe 

 that different sets differ very materially in 

 markings. These four have the following 

 dimensions: 81x65, 75x65, 78x63, 75 X 

 63. The ground color is a pure white 

 with a shining gloss like a Woodpeckers, 

 and the spots of a reddish brown with 

 obscure lilac ones intermingled, and are 

 thinly scattered all over the egg. and also 

 gathered so thickly as to be confluent in a 

 ring at the larger end. Most of the spots 

 are small, mere specks, but many are nearly 

 as large as a small pin head, and in one of 

 the sjiecimens the majority are of that size. 

 I am fully persuaded that the bird never 

 attempts to rear a second brood or even 

 lay a second set if robbed of the first. I 

 have looked sharp for a diffierent result 

 without any encouragement, though I have 

 observed the birds often remaining in the 

 vicinity through the Summer, but very 

 quiet. Mr. Wm. Brewster in his "Birds 

 of West Virginia." illustrating the song of 

 this Water Thrush in syllables, has been so 

 successful that I am always reminded of it 

 whenever I hear the bii-d sing, and can 



