3° 6 



Beckham on the Birds of Bayou Sara, La. [October 



only see it, for, like the Whip-poor-will, it is oftener heard than seen. On 

 at least a dozen occasions I have stood within twenty or thirty feet of a 

 male singing in the manner above described, and been unable to see him, 

 until, tired of fruitless searching, I would make a noise, when off he would 

 dart into a brake where it would be a waste of time and energy to follow. 



Four or five times I saw the bird on the ground, ivalkifig about in that 

 deliberate manner peculiar to the Golden-crowned and Water Thrushes, 

 and twice I have observed the male singing on the ground, pausing every 

 eight or ten steps in his search for insects to throw back his head and pour 

 forth his curious melody, a habit, so far as I have read, not noted by pre- 

 vious observers. 



Although occasionally found along the edges of the swamp, the favorite 

 haunts were the dark, wooded ravines, making off from Alexander's Creek 

 and other water courses. Along the bottoms of these ravines cane is 

 always to be found growing, and the bare ground in these small brakes 

 forms the favorite feeding places of the bird. Although no nests were 

 found, they were evidently paired and breeding before I left. 



105. Helminthophila peregrina. Tennessee Warbler. — Only one 

 individual was recognized, a male shot out of a party of four or five War- 

 blers skipping about the top of a willow in the creek bottom on April 25. 



106. Dendroica coronata. Myrtle Warbler. — During the first three 

 or four days of my stay I found the Myrtle Warbler quite common in 

 parties of from four to eight, but none were seen after April 7. All those 

 observed were moulting. 



107. Dendroica caerulea. Cerulean Warbler. — But one individual 

 of this species was seen, a handsome male in full spring plumage, which 

 was shot from the top of a sycamore on April 20. 



10S. Dendroica pennsylvanica. Chesnut-sided Warbler. — This 

 Warbler seems also to be a rare bird here, as but one was observed, a male 

 shot in the creek bottom, April 22. 



109. Seiurus noveboracensis. Water Thrush. — One of these birds 

 was taken in the swamp on April 26. It was in company with another of 

 the same species. No others were noted. 



no. Troglodytes aedon. House Wren. — Evidently a rare bird here, 

 as I saw it but once, April 20, when one of a pair was shot in a clump of 

 briars. 



in. Regulus calendula. Ruby-crowned Kinglet. — This Kinglet 

 was quite abundant early in April, and the males were in full song, but 

 they soon left for the North. R. satrafia was not seen at all. 



112. Turdus aliciae. Gray-cheeked Thrush. — Not seen until the 

 22d, after which date they became rather common, but I never saw more 

 than one in the same place. 



113. Turdus aonlaschkse pallasi. Hermit Thrush. — Rather com- 

 mon in suitable places. Doubtless a winter resident here. 



