S. MOTACILLA : LARGE-BILLED ACCENTOR. 159 



Dr. Coues formerly spoke of this species as one 

 which " doubtless occurs in summer, although it has 

 never, I believe, been actually detected in New Eng- 

 land" (Pr. Essex Inst., v, 1868, p. 271); citing in 

 support of his views the occurrence of the bird near 

 New York as recorded by Mr. Lawrence (Ann. Lye. 

 N. Y., viii, 1866, p. 284). The pertinence of this in- 

 ference has since become evident. The bird is prop- 

 erly one of the Carolinian Fauna, reaching its normal 

 northern limit in the lower Connecticut valley, where 

 it breeds in some numbers ; but it has also been known 

 to occur considerably further north. In his "Notes 

 on the Rarer Birds of Massachusetts" (Am. Nat., iii, 

 1870, p. 577), Mr. Allen records the capture of a 

 specimen on Mount Tom, April 28, 1869. The bird 

 has also been taken in Maine ; at Norway, in May, 

 1865, by Mr. Irving Frost, and at Waterville, the same 

 year, by Prof. Hamlin. In Connecticut it is a regu- 

 lar summer visitant, breeding in considerable numbers 

 in that State. Mr. Ernest Ingersoll found the first 

 nest to be recorded for New England, at Norwich, 

 Conn., in June, 1873. It was sunk in the ground at 

 the foot of a large tree, concealed by the roots, and 

 contained four fresh eggs. These measured 0.75 to 

 0.80 in length by 0.60 to 0.62 in breadth, and were 

 white with a rosy tint, dotted and with a few zigzag 

 markings of two shades of reddish-brown, umber, and 

 lilac. These eggs were more nearly spherical than 

 those of the Oven-bird, with a more polished crystal- 

 line surface, and more distinct markings. Mr. Jencks 

 has found the bird in several instances in Rhode Island, 

 as recorded by Mr. Deane (Bull. Nutt. Club, v, 1880, 

 p. 116). For southern Connecticut, as Mr. Merriam 



