PASSERES OSCINES SYLVICOLID^E. 47 



Of the species of Dendrceca known to occur in North America, fourteen 

 have been found iu the District. There has been no addition to the list 

 since 18(32. Not one of the fourteen is a permanent resident. Only 

 three breed here (wstiva, discolor, pinus); only one is found in winter 

 (coronata); there are nine spring and autumn migrants, of which seven 

 (virens, carulescens, blackburna', castanea,pennsylvanica, striata, maculosa) 

 do not differ materially in u umbers, habits, resorts, or periods of migra- 

 tion. One (palmarum) differs notably in these particulars ; one {tigrina) 

 is extremely rare; one (dominica) is merely a straggler. There is at 

 least one more to come into the list (cwrulea). 



49. (65.) Siurus auricapillus (Linn.) Sw. Golden-crowned Thrush ; Oven-bird. 

 An extremely abundant summer resident. It arrives April 12, and 

 for about two weeks keeps perfectly silent, hiding in the thickets and 

 laurel brakes {Kalmia latifolia), until the spur of the sexual exaltation 

 is felt. About the 1st of May its loud, harsh, monotonous notes till 

 the woods, greatly to the annoyance of the collector who searches with 

 his senses all on the alert for rarer and more retiring species. To atone 

 for this, however, a little later still in the season, the bird breaks forth 

 in a song of exquisite pathos and extraord iuary power. It is found auy- 



FlG. 16.— Head of Gulden crowned Thrush, iiat. size. 



where in woodland, but particularly where high timber shadows thick 

 undergrowth. The ravines and hillsides along Eock Creek, where the 

 forests tower over the brakes, fairly resound with the accelerated chant 

 of the Golden-crown during the latter part of April and early in May. 

 It is not at all aquatic, but is fond of rambling over the ground and 

 rustling among the fallen leaves for insects. AYhen disturbed, it takes 

 a short flight to the nearest convenient bough, where it sits motionless, 

 watching the intruder. The nest is built on the ground, more or less 

 arched over, and contains white, spotted eggs. [135] 



50. (66). Siurus naevius Bodd. Cones. (S. noveboracensis of the original edition.) 

 Water Wagtail ; Small-billed Water Thrush. 



Quite common during the migrations. It also appears to breed here 

 sparingly, as we have found it in July. Arrives in spring, according to 

 our observations, about May 1, but so secretive and retiring a species 

 may easily elude observation, and we should not be surprised to know 

 that it comes along much earlier than we have ever known it to do. 

 It is eminently aquatic ; swampy thickets, marshes, and gloomy woods in- 

 terspersed with puddles are favorite resorts. We have sometimes found 

 it in such places associated with BhyacopMlus solitarius. [136] 



