100 LOUISIANA WATER THRUSH. 



heai'd the latter species sing, but merely utter a single smart twit, when 

 started by surprise. It moreover frequently feeds on minute water-in- 

 sects, none of which I have ever been able to discover on dissecting the 

 present species. 



The flight of this bird is easy, and continued amongst the trees, just 

 above the canes, or closer over the ground, when it is passing along their 

 skirts, gliding smoothly through the air. When alighted, its body is 

 continually vibrating, the tail being at the same time alternately jerked 

 out and closed again. It walks prettily along the branches, or on the 

 ground, but never hops. It feeds on insects and larvae, often pursuing 

 tlie former on wing, as well as on the ground, yet in seizing them it does 

 not produce the clicking sound heard from the biU of Flycatchers. 



I think its proper station in a general system would be between the 

 Golden-crowned Thrush and the Water Thrush. Its location, howevei-, 

 I leave to the consideration of better ornithologists than myself. 



The nest of this species is commenced in the first days of April. I 

 may here remark, that I am not aware that the Common Water Thrvish 

 breeds in the United States. It is placed at the foot and among.st the 

 roots of a tree, or by the side of a decayed log, and is so easily discovered 

 at times that my eyes have once or twice been attracted by it, wliilst 

 walking about in search of something else. The outer parts are formed 

 of dry leaves and mosses, the inner of fine grasses, with a few hairs, or 

 the dried fibres of the Spanish Moss, which so much resemble horse-hair 

 as scarcely to be distinguished from it. The female lays four or five 

 eggs, and takes fourteen days to hatch them. When disturbed on her 

 nest at an early period of incubation, she merely flies off'; but if discovered 

 towards the conclusion of that period, she is seen tumbling and rolling 

 about, spreading her wings and tail, as if in the last agonies of despair, ut- 

 tering all the while a most piteous tone, to entice the intruder to follow her. 

 The yovmg leave the nest in about ten days, and follow the parent 

 from place to place, on the ground, where they are fed until able to fly. 

 I have not been able to ascertain whether this bird rears more than one 

 brood in a season, but am inclined to believe that it does not. The eggs 

 ai'e flesh-coloured, sprinkled with darker red on the large end. 



During winter, this bird becomes so plump as to be a pure mass of 

 fat, and furnishes extremely delicate eating. I have never seen this 

 species farther eastward than Georgia, nor higher on the Ohio than the 

 cane brakes about Henderson. 



