LAND BIRDS. 631 
audible at a distance of several hundred yards, and one of the most striking 
and characteristic of bird songs. Opinions differ somewhat as to its 
similarity to the songs of the other Water-thrushes, some observers stating 
that the songs of this and the Large-billed Water-thrush are nearly identical, 
while others claim that they are perfectly distinct. In view of the con- 
fusion of the two species by even fairly good observers it seems likely 
that the song of one has not unfrequently been mistaken for that of the 
other. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult: Entire upper parts, including wings and tail, uniform olive-brown; a whitish 
or yellowish-white stripe from nostril over eye toward nape; ear-coverts brown like back; 
under parts whitish, usually with a distinct yellow tint which is likely to be strongest on 
the belly, the throat thinly speckled, and the breast and sides thickly spotted and streaked 
with dark brown; wings and tail unmarked; iris brown. Sexes alike. 
Length 5 to 6 inches; wing 2.80 to 3.10; tail 2 to 2.25; culmen .43 to .50. 
288. Grinnell’s Water-thrush. Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis. Ridgw. 
(675a) 
Synonyms: Western Water-thrush.—Seiurus naevius notabilis, Ridgw., 1880, and 
most recent writers. 
Very similar to the Small-billed Water-thrush, but slightly larger, 
darker brown above and whiter below, the yellowish tinge often barely 
perceptible. 
Distribution.—Western United States, from Indiana and Illinois west- 
ward to California, and north into British America. Casual in migrations 
eastward to the Atlantic coast. Winters from the southern border of the 
United States southward to Lower California, Mexico and northern South 
America. 
Probably the majority of the Water-thrushes that pass through Michigan 
during the migrations belong to the Small-billed subspecies, the larger 
form becoming abundant farther west. Nevertheless, Grinnell’s Water- 
thrush has been taken several times within our limits and it seems likely 
that it occurs somewhat frequently. Naturally, as this is merely a 
geographical race of the Small-billed Water-thrush and Michigan is not far 
from the dividing line between the two, the forms must overlap more or 
less and specimens completely intermediate are likely to occur. In Butler’s 
Birds of Indiana (1897, page 1382) we read: ‘‘Mr. Ridgway writes me 
that Water-thrushes from the Mississippi Valley are very puzzling, but 
a large majority appear to be referable to notabilis. Mr. F. M. Woodruff 
informs me that Dr. J. A. Allen, to whom he submitted some specimens 
from the vicinity of Chicago for examination, considers them typical 
notabilis.”’ Mr. Woodruff adds: ‘All the specimens I have from northern 
Indiana are of this form.” A specimen of Grinnell’s Water-thrush was 
killed on Spectacle Reef Light, Lake Huron, May 7, 1889 and another 
May 22, 1890. Both these were identified by Dr. A. K. Fisher, of the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture at Washington. The University of 
Michigan Expedition obtained an adult female on Isle Royale August 
24, 1904 and an adult male on August 26. According to Mr. Norman A. 
Wood others were seen there on August 18, 22, 28, 31 and September 1. 
On the latter date Mr. Wood states that he heard one in a cedar swamp 
singing a low sweet song. 
So far as we know this form does not differ in general habits from its 
