294 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



streaks, which extend from bill and enclose a golden or brownish-orange space ; 

 white ring around eye ; beneath white ; breast and sides streaked with dusky or 

 black. The young at first have no stripes on top of head, and lower parts are light- 

 dull brownish-yellow, with obscure dusky streaks. 



Habitat. Eastern North America, north to Hudson's Bay territory and Alaska, 

 breeding from Kansas, the Ohio Valley and Virginia, northward. In winter, south- 

 ern Florida, the West Indies and Central America. 



This bird is a common summer resident, arriving here generally about 

 the 25th of April and remaining until about the last week of Septem- 

 ber. Occasionally, but rarely, are birds of this species observed in the 

 southern counties after the second week of October. During migrations 

 it is often found in thickets, and occasionally is seen in yards and gardens. 

 In the summer months it rarely is observed to leave its favorite retreats 

 in dark and unfrequented localities in forests. The Oven-bird very care- 

 fully hides its rather bulky and loosely built nest in old leaves, by the 

 side of a log or under the projecting edges of brush heaps; in addition 

 to such protections, and to further conceal its treasures from the curious 

 eyes of egg-collectors or other predatory animals, the top is usually 

 covered over or roofed by the birds, who gain an entrance through an 

 opening in the side. The eggs, four to six, are creamy-white, spotted 

 with reddish-brown. They measure about .80 of an inch long and .60 

 of an inch wide. The song of this bird is exceeding loud, shrill and 

 monotonous. Birds of this genus, when walking on the ground, have 

 the habit of wagging their tails like the Spotted Sandpiper. The 

 Oven-bird subsists chiefly on various forms of insect life, such as bee- 

 tles, earthworms, crickets, flies, spiders and larvae; it also sometimes 

 feeds on small seeds. 



Seiurus noveboracensis (GMEL.). 



Water Thrush ; Water Wagtail ; Small-billed Water-Thrush. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 95). 



Length about 6 ; extent about 9 ; eyes brown ; bill small (rather slender as com- 

 pared with next species), a half inch or less in length along culmen ; upper parts 

 uniform and dark olive-brown ; below yellowish thickly and sharply streaked ex- 

 cept on belly and under tail-coverts with dark olive-brown ; these streaks on breast 

 in some specimens are quite black ; a yellowish superciliary line. 



Habitat. 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. 



The Water Thrush is common and very generally distributed 

 throughout Pennsylvania during migrations, or late in April, May, Sep- 

 tember and frequently individuals are found lingering as they pass 

 southward, to winter it is said beyond the southern boundaries of the 

 United States, in our southern counties late in October. Generally, 

 however, the "Water Wagtail, as many term this bird, is not found here 

 after the last week in September. Like the sandpipers this bird may 



