1 44 A LARGE-BILLED WATER-THRUSH. 



the summer, while it slowly moves in the winter to the Gulf-coast and 

 the West Indies. The large-billed or Louisiana wagtail, on the con- 

 trary, is best known at the South, where, in summer, it extends north- 

 ward to southern Illinois in the west, and to Connecticut in the east. 



Each finds its food in the insects and their young that have their 

 haunts among the wet leaves and rank weeds flourishing along river- 

 banks, and in those aquatic species that cling to stones in the bottom 

 of the stream. On land they have a graceful, gliding walk, not hopping 

 as do most woodland birds. Both are very fine singers — the finest of all 

 the warblers. The small-billed does not seem to have its full share of 

 credit as a vocalist, on account of its modesty, and the fact that its songs 

 are all of love to its mate, seeming never to be wasted on any other 

 occasion than wooing, although then often continued into a moonlit sere- 

 nade. An enthusiastic writer describes this song as beginning with a 

 startling outburst of melody, clear and ringing, as if surprised by a sud- 

 den joy, after which it keeps falling until you can hardly hear it : the 

 tones are strong yet very sweet. But, if you want to see the little min- 

 strel, you must go carefully in a boat to near the place where he secretes 

 himself with his mate. 



The large-billed is more prodigal of his music and not quite so cautious 

 about listeners. In the picturesque little "runs" — they would be called 

 "trout-brooks" in New England — that find their way down the tangled 

 ravines between the lofty hills of West Virginia, I used often to come 

 upon thern, and by ordinary caution could easily watch them at work or 

 play, or when singing. They seemed to choose to loiter about the pebbly 

 shallows just above the cataract, where they could jump from stone to 

 stone, or run along the drifted logs, rather than to retreat to the dark 

 brakes beloved of the small -billed wagtail. They were never still a 

 minute. Even when standing they seemed to rest unsteadily on their 

 legs, as if their thin, transparent tarsi were too weak to hold them, and 

 were incessantly jerking and "wagging" their tails, not depressing them 

 as the sand-pipers do, but flirting them in a restless way. 



The large-billed's song is uttered while the bird stands by some log or 

 stone— for it rarely alights upon a branch— and is full of fire and bright 

 melody, yet it is hardly so accomplished a musical performance as that of 

 his brother. If he gets the idea that he is wanted to grace your cabinet, 

 he vents his indignation in a little chick, like the noise made " by striking 

 two pebbles together," and is off to some secure retreat in a twinkling. 

 "Come upon him suddenly, however, as he is moving nimbly along the 

 margin of some great pool or rippling eddy, and at times he will seem to 



