OF VIRGINIA 305 
central Alberta, Colorado, Kansas, southern Missouri, 
Ohio Valley, Virginia, in mountains to Georgia and 
South Carolina, and east to the Atlantic coast from Nova 
Scotia to North Carolina; winters from central Florida 
(casually South Carolina) and the islands on the 
Louisiana coast through the Bahamas and West Indies 
to St. Thomas, and from Nuevo Leon to Colombia; casual 
at Mazatlan, Sinaloa. 
This bird of the woods entirely, is common over our 
whole State, and ranks as one of our best songsters. It 
is rather a shy bird except during nesting time, when 
they become quite fearless should you happen to be close 
to their nest. The broken-wing habit is practiced by 
these birds when trying to entice vou from their abodes, 
which are placed on the ground amongst the dry leaves, 
arched over so as to almost completely hide the entrance 
from the side, and from the front except when on a level 
with it. On the side of a hill or slight raise of ground is 
their preference for a nesting site, the nest being composed 
of drv leaves and pine needles, lined with fine grasses. 
The eggs number from four to five, a glossy-white, specked 
and blotehed with reddish-brown and lilac, most of which 
is on the larger end or in the form of a wreath. Fresh 
egos May Sth to 25th. Size, .80x.60. We find them 
plentiful over our whole area, increasing as we go further 
inland. They arrive with us from the south about April 
10th, and their loud song, as it resounds through the 
woods, makes their presence known as soon as they arrive. 
They prefer to be near a small woodland stream or over- 
flow from a spring, in which they delight to bathe. They 
leave us for the south about August 8th, and during their 
sojourn with us, generally raise two broods. Their food 
