LAND BIRDS. 629 
has 2 delightful carol which it utters from a considerable height in the 
air while it floats slowly down on motionless wings, eventually dropping like 
a stone into the woods as it finishes the last notes. Occasionally it utters 
a few notes as it rises swiftly to the height at which the song proper begins, 
but more often it wings its way upward silently and bursts into song 
suddenly as it reaches the highest point of its flight. This song somewhat 
resembles the air song of the Indigo-bird, but is sweeter and longer con- 
tinued; it must not be confounded, however, with the still more beautiful 
song which the Ovenbird sometimes utters at nightfall while coursing 
rapidly through the trees of the forest, either alone or while pursuing its 
mate or being pursued by some rival male. Under such circumstances 
it gives vent to its emotions in a prolonged and varied song of remarkable 
sweetness and power which is unlike that of any other bird of our ac- 
quaintance. Doubtless it is this song, occasionally uttered in the night, 
which has given it the name of nightingale in some localities. 
The eggs are four to six, white or pinkish white, spotted with reddish 
brown and lilac, and average .80 by .61 inches. 
This bird is rarely seen seen outside the woods except during migrations, 
but it often visits parks and gardens in spring and fall and occasionally 
may be heard singing in such places. It appears to have no bad food 
habits, or indeed, bad habits of any kind, but consumes immense numbers 
of insects, spiders, myriapods and small snails and slugs, together with 
a few seeds and berries. It is thus likely to be decidedly beneficial in the 
regions which it selects for its home. 
TECANICAL DESCRIPTION, 
Adult: Crown with a broad median stripe of brownish-orange, extending from forehead 
to nape and bordered on each side by a narrow black stripe; rest of upper parts, including 
wings and tail, clear greenish-olive; a distinct whitish ring about the cye; below pure white, 
heavily spotted on breast and streaked on sides with black, the chin, upper throat and 
belly unspotted. No white markings on wings and tail; a black line on each side of the 
white throat from base of lower mandible. Sexes alike. 
Length 5.40 to 6.50 inches; wing 2.75 to 3; tail 2 to 2.25. 
287. Small-billed Water-thrush. Seiurus noveboracensis noveboracensis 
(Gmel.). (675) 
Synonyms: Common Water-thrush, Northern Water-thrush, Wag-tail, Water Wag- 
tail, Water-thrush.—Motacilla noveboracensis, Gmel., 1789.—Siurus nevius, Coues, 
1877.—Seiurus noveboracensis of most recent authors. 
A large thrush-like warbler, plain olive-brown above, with a yellowish 
stripe over the eye; the under parts white, tinged with sulphur yellow, 
and everywhere sharply streaked with brown and black. Wings and tail 
like the back and without bars or spots. 
Distribution.—Eastern United States to Illinois, and northward to 
Arctic America, breeding from the northern United States northward, 
South in winter to the West Indies, Central America and northern South 
America. 
The Water-thrushes will usually be recognized at once from their close 
resemblance in size and general appearance to the Ovenbird, but all have 
the habit of wagging the tail much more strongly pronounced than in the 
Ovenbird, in fact the motion is even more continuous and characteristic 
