Oct. 1887.] 
AND OOLOGrIST. 
175 
Nesting of the Louisiana Water 
Thrush. 
BY It. B. MCLAUGHLIN, STATESVILLE, N. C. 
The Louisiana, or Large-billed Water Thrush 
( Siurus motacilla) is a common summer visi- 
tant in western north Carolina, arriving regu- 
larly between the 25th and 30th of March, and 
it begins to nest usually about the 10th of 
April. When feeding it frequents the larger 
water courses but for nidification prefers the 
smaller ones flowing into them. 
Fancy a small clear stream flowing through 
dense woods and over a pebbly or stony bed, 
the banks green with moss and fern and over- 
hung by wild honey-suckle and laurel bushes. 
Such is the one selected by the Water Thrush 
as a nesting site, and after a short journey 
down stream it has access to the marshes which 
afford it ample feeding ground, and thus it is 
that it gains all of the advantages of the larger 
streams without any of the disadvantages, not 
the least of which is inundation. When we 
wish a set of its eggs we enter the channel of 
the stream where it unites with the larger one 
and wend our way up, scrutinizing each bunch 
of dead leaves lodged in the bank as we go. It 
seems nice at first, dodging from side to side, 
but we tire, unquestionably. Here we meet 
with a fallen log which we climb over, and 
here another lying idly across the channel, 
which we crawl under. Innocent looking logs, 
these — we would never know they are loaded 
with chigres ; but alas, we will ! 
As we pass on the moccasin coiled on the 
limb overhanging the water, and somewhat 
higher than our heads, treats our approach 
with the coldest indifference, but as we draw 
nearer it slides off all at once within afoot or 
so of our face, just in time to wriggle at out- 
feet. This is an odd trait that it never tires of, 
but we do and this is why we ai-e provided 
with a club instead of a chestnut bell. After 
paying it our compliments in a satisfactory 
manner we keep the even tenor of our way. 
We have hitherto given the banks the whole of 
our attention but now it is divided between 
them and the over-hanging branches. We are 
now well up the stream and see a Water 
Thrush fly from its nest, make a dip down- 
ward, allowing its breast to barely skim over 
the surface of the water, then dropping its 
wings run fluttering along on the sand. 
We turn our attention to the nest If typical, 
we cannot see the eggs nor the inside of the 
nest which are concealed by the over-hanging 
bank when we are standing upright, but we see 
the lower portion and the whole is supported 
by a root which has been exposed by the action 
of the water. 
Now' I shall try to describe the nest. It is 
usually placed from a foot to two and a half 
feet above the water. The bottom part consists 
wholly of dead leaves pasted together with 
mud. The mud is not so plentiful as it is in 
the nests of the Wood Thrush (ntjlumehla mus- 
telina ) and Robin ( Merida migratoria ) ; in fact, 
none appears to be used except such as adheres 
to the leaves as they are gathered from the 
swamp. Inside of tiffs are finer, dryer leaves, 
followed by rootlets, grasses and at times some 
hair, which constitute the lining. I meet with 
no other nest so cleverly assimilated to its sur- 
roundings. The nests of Polioptila caeritlea 
and Trochilus colubris so nicely stuccoed with 
gray lichens, doubtless resembles knots and 
are not easily discerned by the novice, yet the 
experienced eye detects the difference by a 
glance, even from a distance; but it is not ever 
thus with the nest of the Louisiana Water 
Thrush. Dead loaves dripping still with water 
from the marsh are spread around the nest and 
there allowed to dry, giving it the appearance 
of a lump of leaves washed out by high water, 
and I challenge the adept odlogist to discrimi- 
nate between them at all times. lie may often, 
yet at times it requires a nice distinction that 
simply eaunot be made, lie may take leaves 
to be the nest or think the nest leaves. I once 
found a nest behind a bunch of fern the leaves 
of which hung down and hid it completely 
from view, while the bird’s head stuck out be- 
tween. All of the nests I have seen were over 
running water, except one which was on the 
side of a hill that terminated abruptly in a 
marsh. It was placed about two feet above 
stagnant water. 
The nest complement is four, or five, mostly 
live. The egg varies greatly in size as well as 
markings. It is white spotted generally with 
brown, with lavender sub-markings. It is well 
to allow the set to be completed before finding. 
Last season 1 found four nests containing one 
egg and all were afterwards forsaken; also 
found live unfinished nests, two of which were 
completed and three abandoned. Have had 
similar luck in other seasons. 
The Water Thrush is quick in its every move- 
ment and seems to be in motion almost inces- 
santly. When on the wing it generally follows 
channel of the stream in all its windings, keep- 
ing almost even with the top of the banks. At 
times it may be seen crossing from one stream 
to another, always flying low- and gone in an 
instant. The experience of collectors who have 
met with it in different parts of its habitat may 
be somewhat at variance with mine, but 1 have 
attempted a description of its nesting and some 
of the characteristics of the bird as 1 have come 
in contact with them from field experience irre- 
spective of all others. 0 &0i xn> Qct. 1887 p. / TV - / 
