WATER THRUSH. 357 



bright yellow colour ; in other respects it differed not from 

 the rest. About the beginning of May it passes through 

 Pennsylvania to the north ; is seen along the channels of our 

 solitary streams for ten or twelve days ; afterwards disappears 

 until August. It is probable that it breeds in the higher 

 mountainous districts even of this state, as do many other of 

 our spring visitants that regularly pass a week or two with 

 us in the lower parts, and then retire to the mountains and 

 inland forests to breed. 



But Pennsylvania is not the favourite resort of this species. 

 The cane brakes, swamps, river shores, and deep watery soli- 

 tudes of Louisiana, Tennesee, and the Mississippi territory, 

 possess them in abundance ; there they are eminently distin- 

 guished by the loudness, sweetness, and expressive vivacity 

 of their notes, which begin very high and clear, falling with 

 an almost imperceptible gradation till they are scarcely 

 articulated. At these times the musician is perched on the 

 middle branches of a tree over the brook or river bank, pouring 

 out his charming melody, that may be distinctly heard for 

 nearly half a mile. The voice of this little bird appeared to 

 me so exquisitely sweet and expressive, that I was never tired 

 of listening to it, while traversing the deep shaded hollows of 

 those cane brakes where it usually resorts. I have never yet 

 met with its nest. 



The water thrush is six inches long, and nine and a half 

 in extent ; the whole upper parts are of a uniform and very 

 dark olive, with a line of white extending over the eye, and 

 along the sides of the neck ; the lower parts are white, tinged 

 with yellow ochre ; the whole breast and sides are marked 

 with pointed spots or streaks of black or deep brown ; bill, 

 dusky brown ; legs, flesh coloured ; tail, nearly even ; bill, 

 formed almost exactly like the golden-crowned thrush, above 

 described, p. 239 ; and, except in frequenting the water, 

 much resembling it in manners. Male and female nearly 

 alike. 



