WARBLERS 547 



It is an early fall migrant, in fact one of the earliest of our 

 Warblers to begin its southern movement. I find the follow- 

 ing dates of its appearance on the Seguin Island Light in 

 Capt. Spinney's note-book. Sept. 19, 1893, Aug. 28 and 

 Sept. 7, 1895. Aug. 5, 1896. Aug. 10 and 19, 1898, and 

 in Mr. MorrelPs notes: "Aug. 1, Water Thrushes are quite 

 plenty along the shores of the pond." I have seen it in Ken- 

 nebec County on Sept. 25th, while this last year the last 

 bird I saw in Somerset County was on Aug. 29th. 



It seems to be a fairly common nester in those counties in 

 the Canadian fauna, though I have observed it more common 

 in Somerset during the breeding season than in any other 

 county. It is usually seen in May after its arrival about the 

 shores of ponds and streams feeding on the ground, wagging 

 its tail, a characteristic which readily helps to distinguish it 

 from the Ovenbird, though occasionally it is seen some distance 

 from the water. It is a beautiful singer. It has not the loud, 

 decided notes of the Oven-bird, but is a more musical vocalist. 

 It utters its song at frequent intervals, and once heard is not 

 soon forgotten. 



Mr. Fred B. Spaulding, of Lancaster, N. H., mentions this 

 bird as nesting in his locality. I quote the following from our 

 late fellow-member, Clarence H. MorrelPs note book. " May 

 28, 1893, found a Water Thrush's nest with four eggs, which 

 I left for more. May 29, got the Water Thrush's nest found 

 yesterday. Nest was sunk in under hollowed-out side of an 

 old rotten stump, around which grew several maple trees. The 

 cavity was hollowed out in under the stump, so that the nest 

 was completely covered over. The nest was not very large, 

 but quite a thick structure of moss and leaves with a few 

 weed-stalks. The lining was moss and grass and some red, 

 hair-like moss-stems. The bird was on the nest and sat closely, 

 not leaving the nest until I nearly touched her, and she stayed 

 in the immediate vicinity as long as I was there, part of the 

 time on the ground and part in the trees, always jilting her tail 



