286 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



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

 has noticed little difference between this species and >S'. ludoviciamts. 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 the 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 May, a fort- 

 night earlier than Mr. Allen noted their arrival in Springfield. Mr. Verrill 

 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 in 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 incli deep. The entire 

 base Avas made of loose liypnuin 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. Tlie outer circumference was 

 made up of mosses and intertwined small black vegetable roots. 



This nest contained five eggs, the brilliant white ground of w^hich, with 

 their delicately shaded spots of reddish-brown, contrasted with the bright 

 green of the mossy exterior, and set off to advantage by the conspicuous and ■ 

 unique lining, produce a very beautiful effect. 



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

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

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

 Stephen, March 23, 1867. "Did you ever notice their walk on the ground ? 

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

 and S. aiiTocapillus, liave a beautiful gliding walk, and of all our otlier birds 

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

 Molotlirus pecoris. I do not tliink that a naturalist should ever say, as 

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

 unless he is v.'ell acquainted with them, at all times, especially while breed- 

 ing. Many birds seem really to have notliing 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 him 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 then 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 while before I 

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

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



