OVEN-BIRD; GOLDEN-CROWNED 
ACCENTOR. 
SEIURUS AUROCAPILLUS. 
Oh popular name oven-bird, perhaps as appropriate 
as any, is derived, doubtless, from the architecture 
of the nest, which is built on the ground, among old 
leaves, and roofed over like an oven, with a door on one 
side. It is so ingeniously constructed that no eye, not 
even the cow-bird’s, is likely to discover it, unless it be by 
seeing the bird approach or leave it. The oven-bird does 
not fly from the nest, but runs from it with a most 
peculiar, light, and graceful step. 
Wilson says, “The oven-bird has no song; but a 
shrill, energetic twitter.” Other writers pronounce him 
a great singer; Dr. Coues declaring him the equal of 
the “Louisiana Thrush itself.” An experienced observer 
assures me that he has never heard anything from 
the oven-birds but the one brief snatch of a song 
which they are forever repeating, and such has been 
my own experience; still, I do not question the tes- 
timony of those who claim to have heard fine songs 
from them. 
I can hardly recall the notes of any bird that I have 
