] 68 DENDROCOLAPTID^E. 



bosom prominent, it struts along with an air of great gravity, lifting its 

 foot high at each step, and holding it suspended for a moment in the 

 air before setting it firmly down. I once saw one fly down on to a 

 narrow plank about ten feet long lying out on the wet grass ; it walked 

 gravely to the end of the plank, then turned, and deliberately walked 

 back to the other end, and so on for about twenty times, appearing to 

 take the greatest pleasure in the mere act of promenading on a smooth 

 level surface. When disturbed, the Oven-bird has a loud, monotonous 

 note of alarm or curiosity, which never fails to bring all its fellows 

 within hearing-distance to the spot. The movements of a fox, weasel, 

 or cat in a plantation can always be known from the noisy turmoil 

 among the Oven-birds. At frequent intervals during the day the male 

 and female meet and express their joy in clear, resonant notes sung in 

 concert a habit common to a very large number of Dendrocolaptine 

 birds, including, I think, all those species which pair for life. In a 

 majority of species this vocal performance merely consists of a succes- 

 sion of confused notes or cries, uttered with great spirit and emphasis ; 

 in the Oven-bird it has developed into a kind of harmonious singing. 

 Thus, the first bird, on the appearance of its mate flying to the place of 

 meeting, emits loud measured notes, sometimes a continuous trilling 

 note with a somewhat hollow metallic sound; but immediately on the 

 other bird joining, this introductory passage is changed to rapid triplets, 

 strongly accented on the first and last notes, while the second bird utters a 

 series of loud measured notes perfectly according with the triplets of the 

 first. While thus singing they stand facing each other, their necks 

 outstretched, wings hanging, and tails spread, the first bird trembling 

 with its rapid utterances, the second beating on the branch with its 

 wings. The finale consists of three or four notes uttered by the second 

 bird alone, and becoming successively louder and more piercing until 

 the end. There is an infinite variety in the tone in which different 

 couples sing, also in the order in which the different notes are uttered, 

 and even the same couple do not repeat their duet in precisely the same 

 way; but it is always a rhythmical and, to some extent, an harmonious 

 performance, and as the voices have a ringing, joyous character, it 

 always produces a pleasing effect on the mind. 



In favourable seasons the Oven-birds begin building in the autumn, 

 and the work is resumed during the winter whenever there is a spell of 

 mild wet weather. Some of their structures are finished early in winter, 

 others not until spring, everything depending on the weather and the 

 condition of the birds. In cold dry weather, and when food is scarce, 

 they do not work at all. The site chosen is a stout horizontal branch, or 

 the top of a post, and they also frequently build on a cornice or the 



