THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. I/I 



It would seem, therefore, that it is highly probable that nearly 

 all, if not all of the birds of this species observed before the 

 year 1880 would now be classed under the subspecies notabilis. 



It is not impossible that more typical specimens of this more 

 eastern form of the Water-thrush may yet be taken within our 

 limits. I have examined a series of specimens, taken in this 

 vicinity, which showed characteristics varying from typical nota- 

 bilis to very nearly typical noveboracensis. It is well understood 

 that there are intermediate forms between the variety and the 

 type of the species. It is important, therefore, that all Water- 

 thrushes, belonging to this species, which are taken in north- 

 eastern Illinois, should be carefully studied. 



Mr. Ridgway gives the following as the range of this species :* 

 "Eastern North America; north to Davis Inlet, Newfoundland, 

 and shores of Hudson Bay ; breeding southward to northern New 

 England, mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, southern 

 Michigan (?), northeastern Illinois (?), etc.; in winter south- 

 ward throughout West Indies and along eastern coast districts 

 of Central America to Colombia, Venezuela, British Guiana, 

 Brazil (?), Trinidad, and Tobago, and to Swan Island and Old 

 Providence Island, Caribbean Sea." 



Seiums noveboracensis notabilis (Ridg.). Grinnell's Water-thrush. 

 Seiurus noveboracensis Baird, Rep. Pacific E. R. Surv., IX, 1858, 261. 



part ; and of many other early writers on Illinois and western 



birds. 

 Seiurus nwvius notabilis RiDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Ill, March 



27, 1880, 12. 

 Seiur'us noveboracensis notabilis RiDGWAY, Pi'oc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 



VIII, Sept. 2, 1885, 354 ; 564. 

 Popular synonym : Wyoming Waiee-thbusii. 



The Grinnell's Water-thrush is an abundant migrant, arriving 

 in the spring about the first of May, and returning in the fall 

 near the last of September. This Water-thrush, which without 

 question is the most abundant of the water-thrushes frequenting 

 our area, so closely resembles Seiurus noveboracensis that it 

 seems best for me to include a description of this variety. This 

 I' quote from Mr. Robert Ridgway's Birds of North and Middle 

 America.f "Similar to S. n. noveboracensis, but larger, espe- 

 cially the bill; coloration of the upper parts less olive (more 

 grayish sooty), that of under parts less yellowish, usually white, 

 with little if any yellow tinge. Young much darker above than 



*Biill. U. S. Nat. MuB. No. 50, Pt. ii, 1902, 642. 

 +Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, pt ii, 1902, 645. 



