THE WATER-THRUSH. 221 



wading in the shallows in search of aquatic insects, wag- 

 ging the tail almost continually, chattering as it flies ; and, 

 in short, possesses many strong traits and habits of the 

 Water Wagtail. It is also exceedingly shy, darting away 

 on the least attempt to approach it, and uttering a sharp 

 chip repeatedly, as if greatly alarmed." 



Although I have met with quite a number of these birds 

 in their sylvan haunts, I have never heard them sing. That 

 it possesses a beautiful song most writers agree ; its notes 

 are described as follows : " They are eminently distin- 

 guished by the loudness, sweetness, and expressive vivacity 

 of their notes, which begin very high and clear, falling with 

 an almost imperceptible gradation till they are scarcely 

 articulated. At these times, the musician is perched on 

 the middle branches of a tree over the brook or river bank, 

 pouring out his charming melody, that may be distinctly 

 heard for nearly half a mile. The voice of this little bird 

 appeared to me so exquisitely sweet and expressive, that I 

 was never tired of listening to it, while traversing the deep- 

 shaded hollows of those cane-brakes where it usually 

 resorts." 



Although I have looked repeatedly for the nest of this 

 species, I have never been able to find one, and will be 

 obliged to use the description of others. Mr. Verrill says, 

 in his paper on Maine birds, before referred to : 



"A nest found, June 8, 1861, in a dense cedar swamp, was built 

 in an excavation in the side of a decayed, moss-covered log, so that 

 the excavation itself formed an arch over the nest, instead of one 

 made by the bird, as in the preceding species. The nest was con- 

 structed of moss, and lined with fine roots. The five eggs were of 

 a delicate flesh-color, spotted with light reddish-brown." 



Nuttall says of the nest : 



" It is placed usually at the foot of a tree, or by the side of a 

 decayed log, and is formed of dry leaves, moss, and fine grass ; 

 being lined with hair or the similar fibres of the Spanish moss 



