SYLVICOLID.E — THE WARBLERS. 289 



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

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

 seems as if" in the last agonies of despair. This species Mr. Audubon never 

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



Of late years, or since attention has been mo:e drawn to the specific 

 difference between this sjoecies and the Water Thrush, it has apparently 

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

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

 rare, it was found l)y Dr. Coues to be not at all uncommon at certain 

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

 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 Eock 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 other times easily approached. He always found 

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

 sparrow-like chir}), as if made by striking two pebbles together. They also 

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

 his attention to the bird. 



Mr. Ridgway informs me that in the Wabash Valley this bird, familiarly 

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

 its the dam2)est situations in the bottom-lands, the borders of creeks, lagoons, 

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

 toaotaria citrca). In its movements it is one of the quickest as well as the 

 most restless of the Si/hicolida', 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 

 u]!) 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 chattel'. He adds that in early spring (from 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 upon the lower branches of a tree over- 

 hanging the water, but he has frequently seen it among the 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 remarkal ile. 



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 noirhoracensis, was observed to seek rather the more 

 open streams, 



37 



