392 BULLETIN 155, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Below it is white, tinged with cream buff on under tail-coverts and 

 flanks, streaked heavily with dusky, the throat being clear white 

 without markings. 



SEIURUS NOVEBORACENSIS NOVEBORACENSIS (Gmelin) 

 WATER-THRUSH, PETIT CHIT 



Motacilla noveboracensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat, vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 958 

 (Louisiana and New York). 



Figuier brun de Saint-Domingue Brisson, Ornith., vol. 3, 1760, pp. 513-515, 

 pi. 28, fig. 5 ("S. Domingue"). — Vietli.ot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Anier. Sept., vol. 2, 

 1807, pp. 26, 34 (listed). 



Seiurus noveboracensis, Bryant, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 11, May, 

 1867, p. 91 (Dominican Republic, Haiti). — Cherrie, Field Columbian Mus., 

 Ornith. ser., vol. 1, 1896, p. 11 (Dominican Republic). — Verrill, Proc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 61, 1909, p. 365 (Dominican Republic, part). — 

 Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 1928, p. 513 (Gonave). 



Seiurus noveboracensis noveboracensis, Penard, Auk, 1926, p. 377 (at sea). — 

 Moltoni, Att. Soc. Ital. Scienz. Nat., vol. 68, 1929, p. 324 (San Juan, specimens). 



Seiurus n. novaeboracensis, Beeee, Zool. Soc. Bull., vol. 30, 1927, p. 141 ; 

 Beneath Tropic Seas, 1928, p. 224 (Furcy). 



Winter visitant from North America: fairly common. 



This species of water-thrush is found in Hispaniola on muddy 

 shores in the lowlands, principally in localities where the water 

 is brackish or salt. It is most common among mangroves, the open 

 arches of the roots affording it excellent cover under which it may 

 forage for food. 



The two forms of this species, S. n. noveboracensis and S. n. 

 notabilis, occur together in winter in the West Indies, and as they 

 may not be distinguished except in the hand the published records 

 pertaining to them are in many cases of uncertain application. 

 Those reports in literature that are not known definitely to belong 

 to notabilis are here assigned arbitrarily under S. n. noveboracensis. 



The only specimens of true noveboracensis from Hispaniola 

 examined are two males secured by Verrill on Cayo Levantado, 

 opposite Samana, D. R., February 15 and 16, 1907, which are in the 

 collection of J. H. Fleming, one collected by Poole and Perrygo at 

 Fort Liberte, Haiti, February 8, 1929, and a male collected by W. L. 

 Abbott on Gonave Island, Haiti, March 4, 1920. 



Vieillot records a water-thrush in 1807, and Bryant in 1867 

 reports this bird from both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. 

 Cherrie found this species on February 24 and March 16, 1895. On 

 the first date he was at Aguacate in the interior, on the latter he 

 was apparently at Santo Domingo City. Ciferri secured specimens 

 at Sabana San Thome near San Juan September 4, and October 23, 

 1928, and October 1, 1929. Bartsch records the present species along 

 the coast north of Port-au-Prince April 21 and 22, 1917. In 1927, 



