SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 163 



still more prominent feature is a black streak on the 

 side of the face, extending down the neck. 



Another familiar bird here, which I never met with 

 in the North, is the gnat-catcher, called by Audubon 

 the blue gray fly-catching warbler. In form and 

 manner it seems almost a duplicate of the cat-bird, on 

 a small scale. It mews like a young kitten, erects its 

 tail, flirts, droops its wings, goes through a variety of 

 motions when disturbed by your presence, and in many 

 ways recalls its dusky prototype. Its color above is a 

 light, gray blue, gradually fading till it becomes white 

 on the breast and belly. It is a very small bird, and 

 has a long, facile, slender tail. Its song is a lisping, 

 chattering, incoherent warble, now faintly reminding 

 one of the goldfinch, now of a miniature cat-bird, then 

 of a tiny yellow-hammer, having much variety, but no 

 unity, and little cadence. 



Another bird which has interested me here is the 

 Louisiana water-thrush, called also large-billed water- 

 thrush, and water-wagtail. It is one of a trio of birds 

 which has confused the ornithologists much. The 

 other two species are the well-known golden-crowned 

 thrush (Sciurus aurocapillus) or wood-wagtail, and the 

 Northern, or small, water-thrush {Sciurus noveboracen- 

 sis). 



The present species, though not abundant, is fre- 

 quently met with along Rock Creek. It is a very 

 quick, vivacious bird, and belongs to the class of ec- 

 static singers. I have seen a pair of these thrushes, 



