THE OVEN-BIRD. _ 
171 
No. 77. 
OVEN-BIRD. 
v A. O. U. No. 674. Seiurus aurocapilius (Linn.). 
Synonyms.—GoLDEN-CROWNED ACCENTOR; GOLDEN-CROWNED ‘THRUSH. 
Description.—Adult: Above brownish olive-green; top of head with two 
blackish lateral stripes, enclosing a space of orange-brown—golden only, by cour- 
tesy—more or less veiled by olive-brown tips of feathers; cheeks washed with 
color of back; lores and ring about eye whitish; below white, heavily spotted 
across breast and on sides by blackish; a narrow blackish malar stripe; bill and 
feet flesh-colored. Quite variable in size, but little change in plumage with sex 
or season. Length 5.50-6.50 (139.7-165.1); av. of four Columbus specimens: 
wing 2.91 (73.9) ; tail 2.05 (52.1); bill .44 (11.2)). 
Recognition Marks.—Small Sparrow size; “golden” crown, and head striped 
above; general thrush-like appearance. 
Nest, on the ground, a slight depression lined and completely overarched 
with leaves, grasses, bark-strips and trash, and with entrance at side. Hggs, 4 
or 5, white or creamy white, glossy, speckled and spotted freely with reddish 
brown and sometimes dull lilac. As usual with this family the markings are 
frequently wreathed about the larger end. Av. size, .80 x .60 (20.3 x 15.2). 
General Range.—E astern North America north to Hudson Bay Territory 
and Alaska, breeding from Kansas, the Ohio Valley and Virginia northward. In 
winter Florida, the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America to Panama. 
Range in Ohio.—Abundant summer resident,—the invariable accompaniment 
of lowland woods. 
BEFORE, those extinguishers of ornithological enthusiasm, the mos- 
quitoes, have mustered in full force, it is a pleasure to walk in some dim 
sequestered wood and watch the antics of the Oven-bird. Not that he is a 
conscious clown like the Chat; on the contrary he is often as prim and pre- 
cise as a Puritan dame. And therein lies the fun; for it is always amusing to 
see a birdikin take himself o’er seriously, and go mincing or strutting about 
with grand airs. It is amusing too—is it not?—to a person of benevolent 
intent, when a bird, whose nest has been discovered, goes buzzing about in 
a mighty huff as tho you were a pirate fleet just landed on his shores, 
If you have happened upon a ball of grass and leaves like that shown in the 
illustration, and if the mistress of the “Dutch oven” is at home, you will see 
such an exhibition of distress, of broken wings and disabled legs, of a shriek- 
ing and altogether helpless anatomy, as will make your heert ache,—unless 
you are wise and laugh. And while the distraught mother is playing lame, 
the father is adding to the panic by literally falling all over himself in the 
middle distance—of such strenuous stuff is bird-life made. 
