438 LAND BIRDS 



up roots near the water, etc. I have found a number of 

 nests, when fishing for trout, by flushing the bird from 

 under a bank ; and on stooping down aud looking, I 

 found the nest nicely concealed by the deep green moss, 

 such as covered the surrounding stones. They always 

 use this particular kind of moss, no matter where the 

 nest is built. Occasionally they nest in deserted wood- 

 cutters' huts, on outbuildings near cover, and a friend 

 of mine has some large water-tanks in the woods back 

 of his house, where for nineteen consecutive years these 

 birds have built under the covered roofs of these tanks. 

 I know of no place in this locality where they do not 

 breed, excepting in very open country. Its song consists 

 of a soft, low note. It shows much distress when its 

 nest is taken, uttering then a low wailing note, like 

 ' pee-eu, pee-eu,' and frequently flutters about the per- 

 son taking it, snapping its mandibles together." 



Mr. H. P. Lawrence gives the call-note as " weet-weet " 

 or " per-teet-weet " uttered in jerky, spiteful accents. 

 My own observations give still a third, "weet-weet- 

 weeter-eet," neither "spiteful" nor "plaintive," but a 

 happy little love song sung early in the morning. The 

 male is remarkably devoted to his mate, feeding her 

 while she is brooding, and caring for her with the same 

 devotion that he afterwards displays for his nestlings. 

 And she receives this with the same pretty coaxing of 

 wings by which the little ones beg for food. After the 

 little ones are hatched, however, she works as hard as 

 he to fill the ever-hungry mouths. Small insects, par- 

 ticularly water insects, are a favorite food, and. one writer 



