LOUISIANA WATER-THRUSH. 375 



HAB. Eastern United States to Illinois, and northward to Arctic America, 

 breeding from the Northern United States northward ; south, in winter, to the 

 West Indies and Northern South America. 



Nest, on the ground, often under the exposed roots of a tree, built of leaves, 

 moss and grasses, and lined with fine grass and rootlets. 



Eggs, four to six, of crystalline whiteness, marked with reddish-brown or 

 lilac. 



This inhabitant of the moist woods and swampy thickets is found 

 in all suitable places throughout the country, but it has not the loud 

 decided notes of the Oven Bird, and is therefore less known, though 

 quite as abundant. It is terrestrial in its habits, being often seen 

 walking with careful steps by the edge of the pools, or along wet 

 logs, nervously jerking its tail, after the manner of the Teeter Snipe. 



In appearance it closely resembles the next species, with which it 

 has often been confounded, but the distinction, once clearly under- 

 stood, is afterwards readily recognized. In the present species the 

 throat and breast are streaked from the bill downwards, while in the 

 Louisiana the throat is always unstreaked. 



This species also reaches Alaska, where Mr. Nelson says of it r 

 after quoting the observations of others : " My own experience at 

 the Yukon mouth proves the bird to be one of the commonest species 

 breeding at that place. Its favorite haunts, in the midst of dense 

 thickets, shelter it from the observation of one not accustomed to its. 

 song, which, however, is one of the most striking that reaches the 

 ear of the traveller in that region ; but the songster, perched on some 

 low branch, is quick to take alarm, and skulks away beyond the sight 

 of one penetrating its haunts." 



SEIURUS MOTACILLA (VIEILL.). 

 284. Louisiana Water-thrush. (676) 



Very similar to the last ; rather larger, averaging about 6, with the wing 3 ; 

 bill, especially longer and stouter, over i, and tarsus nearly 1 ; under parts, 

 white, only faintly tinged, and chiefly on the flanks and crissum, with buffy- 

 yellow ; the streaks sparse, pale and not very sharp ; throat, as well as belly 

 and crissum, unmarked ; legs, pale. 



HAB. Eastern United States, north to Southern New England and Michi- 

 gan, west to the Plains. In winter, West Indies, Southern Mexico and Central 

 America. 



