Nests in Buildings, Bridges, Walls, Etc 



676. Louisiana or Large-billed Water-thrush: Selurus 

 motacilia(Vieill.) 



AduU— Upper parts warm olive brown; white line over eye; 



under parts white, tinged with yellow, and streaked with 



dark brown or blackish ; V-shaped spots except on the throat ; 



bill rather large. Length — 6.28. 

 Breeding Range — Southern Michigan, New York, and southern 



New England, southward to North Carolina and possibly 



further south. 



The nest is made of leaves with mud adhering to them, 

 moss, "grape-grass, and sometimes hair"; it is placed in banks 

 among roots, etc., in moist or swampy woods. The eggs are 

 white to creamy white, speckled and spotted with reddish or 

 yellowish brown and pale lilac. Size — .76 x .(32. See Fig. 13, 

 Plate C. 



In the neighbourhood of New York the nesting season begins 

 during the first week in May. 



In habits these birds resemble the water-thrush, frequenting 

 the streams and rivers and damp woods; their song is remark- 

 ably fine, considered by some to be finer than that of any other 

 of our Eastern birds. 



686. Canadian Warbler; Canada Flycatcher: Sylvania 

 canadensis (Linn.) 



Adults — Upper parts rather dark gray; forehead and front of 

 crown spotted black ; line from bill, under eye, and on sides 

 of throat black; spots across breast black; under parts bright 

 yellow; rather long bristles at base of bill. Length — 5.61. 



Adult ? — Similar, but less brilliant. 



Breeding Range — From New England, northern Pennsylvania, and 

 Michigan, northward. 



The nest is usually placed in a bank or among the roots of 

 a fallen tree, or on the ground beneath bushes in swampy woods, 

 and is carefully concealed; it is made of moss, leaves, weeds, 

 strips of bark, and fine roots, sometimes lined with hair. The 

 eggs, 4 or 5 in number, are white, speckled principally round the 

 larger end with hazel, reddish brown, and lilac. Size — .68 x .51. 



The breeding season begins early in June. 



92 



