64 OVEN-BIRD 



heard in the Zoo in May and June. He is an expert 

 By-catcher and his food is largely winged insects. 



The nest is likely to be in a briary bush or small 

 evergreen, and the egg's, 3 to 6, are white, spotted 

 with reddish-brown. 



Oven-bird ; Golden-crowned Thrush : Sciiiriis oiiro- 

 cal'illits. 



Length about 6 inches. 



Upper parts brownish olivc-grccn. 



Under parts white, the breast and sides spotted with t)hick 

 like a thrush. 



Center of the crown golden-brown, l)ordered by I)lack lines. 



Resident (abundant) from April 20 to October 15; winters 

 in the West Indies and Central America. 



This is one of the connnonest birds of our woods, 

 and although cla'ssed among the Warblers, he has 

 none of their proverbial restlessness or fancy for tree- 

 tops, bnt spends most of his time on the ground 

 scratching among the dead leaves for bugs and 

 worms. He is known by his walk — for he is one of 

 the few birds that do not hop^and by the thrush- 

 like markings on his breast. He is so abundant that 

 in May and Jtme the woods ring with his peculiar 

 chant, a rapid crescendo resembling chee-chee-r/irc- 

 criEE-CiiEE. He also has. a wonderful flight song 

 which we hear but rarely, and only in nesting-time. 

 Miss Merriam writes of it, "Though you think you 

 know the Golden-crown, you have not realized what 

 manner of bird he is until you have heard his famous 

 love-song. It is as if a musician who has been play- 

 ing scales had suddenly changed to an impassioned 

 rhapsody. His ecstacy carries him ofT his feet and 

 he flies higher and higher into the air, pouring otit his 

 rapturous love-song. I have often heard fragments 



