438 LAND BIRDS 
up roots near the water, etc. I have found a number of 
nests, when fishing for trout, by flushing the bird from 
under a bank; and on stooping down and looking, I 
found the nest nicely concealed by the deep green moss, 
such as covered the surrounding stones. They always 
use this particular kind of moss, no matter where the 
nest is built. Occasionally they nest in deserted wood- 
cutters’ huts, on outbuildings near cover, and a friend 
of mine has some large water-tanks in the woods back 
of his house, where for nineteen consecutive years these 
birds have built under the covered roofs of these tanks. 
I know of no place in this locality where they do not 
breed, excepting in very open country. Its song consists 
of a soft, low note. It shows much distress when its 
nest is taken, uttering then a low wailing note, like 
‘pee-eu, pee-eu, and frequently flutters about the per- 
son taking it, snapping its mandibles together.” 
Mr. H. P. Lawrence gives the call-note as “ weet-weet” 
or “per-teet-weet ” uttered in jerky, spiteful accents. 
My own observations give still a third, ‘“ weet-weet- 
weeter-eet,’ neither “spiteful” nor “ plaintive,’ but a 
happy little love song sung early in the morning. The 
male is remarkably devoted to his mate, feeding her 
while she is brooding, and caring for her with the same 
devotion that he afterwards displays for his nestlings. 
And she receives this with the same pretty coaxing of 
wings by which the little ones beg for food. After the 
little ones are hatched, however, she works as hard as 
he to fill the ever-hungry mouths. Small insects, par- 
ticularly water insects, are a favorite food, and one writer 
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