160 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



from the nest. Externally this nest is made of wood-mosses, 

 hchens, and dry leaves, with a few stems and broken fragments of 

 plants. The entrance is strongly built of stout twigs, and its upper 

 portion is composed of a strong framework of fine tmgs, roots, stems, 

 mosses, dry plants, etc., all fii-mly interwoven and lined with finer 

 materials of the same." 



Seixirus motacilla (Vieill.) 



LOUISIANA WATEK THEUSH. 



Popular sTnonyma. Large-billed Water-thrush; Water Wagtiill; WaetalL 

 Turdus motacilla Vieill. Ois. Am. Sept. ii, 1807.9. pi. 65. 

 Siurus motacilla ConES.Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club,li.lS77.:«: B. Col. Val. 1878,299; 2d Check 

 List, 1882, No. 138.— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 117. 

 Turdus ludovicianus Aud. Orn. Biog. i, 1832.99, pi. 19. 

 Seiurus ludovicianus Bonap.— Baied. B. N. Am. 1858, 202; ed. 1860,pl. SO.flg. 2; Cat. N. 

 Am. B. 1859. No. 188; Review.1865,217.— CouE8,Key,1872,106; Check List, 1873, No. 91; 

 B. N. W. 1S74.72.-B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. 1.1874, 287, pi. 14. fig. 13. 

 Had. Eastern United States, north to Michigan and (rarely) Massachusetts, -west to 

 Kansas, Indian Territory and Texas; breeding north to Connecticut and lower Hiidsun 

 River Valley, southern Michigan, etc.. but chiefly west of the Alloghanies. Winters iu 

 eastern Mexico, Guatemala, and south to Veragua, also in Cuba and Jamaica. 



"Sp. Char. Bill longer than the skull. Upper parts olive-brown with a shade of green- 

 ish. A conspicuous white superciliary Line from the bill to the nape, involving the upper 

 lid, with a brown one from the bill through the eye, widening behind. Under parts white, 

 with a very faint shade of pale buff behind, especially on the tail-covers. A dusky max- 

 illary line; the forepart of breast and sides of body with arrow-shaped streaks of the 

 same color. Chin, throat, belly, and under tail-coverts, usually immaculate. Length, 6.33, 

 wine, 3.25; tail, 2.40; bill, from rictus, .75. Sexes similar. Young not seen. 



"Autumnal specimens have a more or less strong wash of ochra- 

 ceous over the flanks and crissum, and the brown above rather 

 darker and less grayish than in spring birds. 



"This species is very similar to S. novehoracensis, although readily 

 distinguishable by the characters given in the diagnoses." {Hist. N. 

 Am. B.) 



The Large-billed or Louisiana Water-thrush, is an abundant 

 bird in all swampy wooded locations throughout the State, although 

 much less numerous in the extreme northern than in the more 

 southern counties. From Mount Carmel southward it occasionally 

 remains during mild winters, and even in cold and backward 

 springs sometimes makes its appearance long before leaves and 

 blossoms begin to unfold. Its favorite resorts are the borders of 

 creeks and larger streams, and the margins of swamps or ponds in 

 the woods, and it is always to be found in those places most fre- 

 quented by the Prothonotary Warbler, nests of the two being some- 



