•284 EEPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



The Ovenbird is one of the most characteristic birds of our wood- 

 lands, and in spring and early summer they fairly ring with its music. 



The usual song is the familiar "cher, tea-cher, tea-cher, tea-cher, 

 tea-cher," beginning rather low and becoming louder with repetition. 



The bird has, however, a much more elaborate flight song at the 

 height of the breeding season. 



The Ovenbird is distinctly a ground warbler and walks deliberately 

 about over the dead leaves, flying up to some low branch when dis- 

 turbed or when about to sing. 



This is one of the birds that habitually tries to lure you from its 

 nest by feigning lameness or a broken wing, and flutters along ahead 

 of the intruder as if scarcely able to get out of the way. Full 

 activity, however, is soon regained when it has led you safely away 

 from the nest. 



675 Seiurus noveboracensis (Gmelin). 

 Water-Thrush. 



PLATE 73. 



Adults. — Length, 5-6. Wing, 2.90. Above, uniform olive-brown, a yellowish- 

 white line over the eye ; below, yellowish-white, thickly spotted or streaked 

 with black or very dark olive, except on the middle of the abdomen and under 

 tail-coverts. 



Common transient visitant. Spring, April 25th (May 3d) to May 

 20th ; autunm, August 3d to October 1st. 



This bird is, essentially, a dark brown Ovenbird in build and gen- 

 eral habits, but it is more active and always a bird of the water 

 courses; walking along the hard sand and over some fallen log, or 

 hopping from stone to stone with tail always bobbing up and down 

 like a Sandpiper. 



The song of the Water Thrush is one of the treats of spring time, 

 and it is hard to realize that such a powerful song comes from so 

 small a bird. Professor Jones has well represented it, "sweet, sweet, 

 sweet, chu, chu, chu, ehu, wee, chu." 



