172 Blown on Birds observed at Coosada, Alabama. 
fallen trees, in a partially cleared field ; one by Mr. J. H. Bond, February 
16, by the roadside, in piny woods ; both silent, and much less active than 
the preceding species. 
18. Anorthura troglodytes var. hyemalis, (Vieill.) Coues. Winter 
Wren. — Not very common winter visitant, and almost invariably seen 
in company with the Carolina Wrens. It was the first of the winter birds 
to disappear. None were met with after about February 20. 
19. Cistothorus stellaris, (Licht.) Cab. Short-billed Marsh 
Wren. - — I captured a single pair in an old rice-field, March 21. 
20. Anthus ludovicianus, (Gm.) Licht. Titlark. — Common dur- 
ing the winter. Stragglers remained till the last of March. 
21. Mniotilta varia, (L.) Vieill. Black-and-white Creeper. — 
First seen on March 13 ; soon became common and generally distributed. 
The males sang from the time of their arrival. 
22. Parula americana, (L.) Bp. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. — 
— Half a dozen shy individuals met with, the first on March 25. 
23. Protonotaria citrea, (Bodd.) Bd. Prothonotary Warbler. — 
Arrived April 12, in full song. After April 20, specimens were seen 
almost every day, but they never became common. Their haunts were 
exclusively swamps and the dense hard- wood growths of the water- courses. 
I found them always active, restless, and noisy. The song is stridulous 
and piercing, and suggests that of the Black-and-white Creeper, but is 
more detached and much more strongly accented ; it is indicated very 
well by the syllables, eh-wiss 1 , eli-wiss 1 , eh-wiss 1 , eh-wiss 1 , eh-wiss 1 , eh-wiss 1 , 
eh-wiss'. A female dissected April 23 contained eggs almost ready for 
deposition ; no nests, however, were found. 
24. Helmitherus swainsoni, (Aud.) Bp. Swainson’s Warbler. — 
On April 12, while forcing my way through the dark, rank forest which 
lies about the source of Coosada Creek, I caught the final notes of an un- 
known song uttered close at hand. Instantly seating myself on a fallen 
tree, I awaited its repetition. The woods immediately about me were 
quite dry and comparatively deserted by birds, but along the neighboring 
creek many Vireos, Thrushes, and Swamp- Warblers were producing such 
a babel of sounds that I feared the voice of my unknown songster might 
escape me. After the lapse of a few minutes, however, a bird emerged 
from a thicket within a few yards of me, where he had been industriously 
scratching amongst the fallen leaves, flew into a small sapling, and gave 
utterance to a loud, ringing, and very beautiful song. Seen in the dim 
light of the woods, he bore a decided resemblance to the Louisiana Water 
Thrush, and his song might almost have passed for an exceptional per- 
formance by that bird ; but I at once suspected his true identity, and in 
a few seconds held in my hand the lifeless body of a male Swainson’s 
Warbler. 
During the succeeding nine days I repeatedly and most carefully 
searched this tract of woods and other localities apparently equally favor- 
