WATER THRUSH. 
125 
of tlie wings, and inner vanes of the quills, are dusky 
brown; from the nostrils, a black strip passes to the 
hind head on each side, between which lies a bed of 
brownish orange; the sides of the neck are whitish; 
the whole lower parts, white, except the breast, which 
is handsomely marked with pointed spots of black, or 
deep brown, as in the figure; round the eye is a narrow 
ring of yellowish w hite ; legs, pale flesh colour ; bill, 
dusky above, whitish below. The female has the 
orange on the crown considerably paler. 
This bird might with propriety be ranged with the 
wagtails, its notes, manners, and habit of building on the 
ground being similar to these. It usually hatches tw ice 
in the season ; feeds on small bugs, and the larvae of 
insects, w hich it chiefly gathers from the ground. It 
is very generally diffused over the United States, and 
winters in Jamaica, Hispaniola, and other islands of 
the West Indies. 
97 . SYLVIA NOVEBORACENSIS , LATHAM TURDUS AQUATICUS, 
WILSON. 
WATER THRUSH. 
WILSON, PLATE XXIII. FIG. V. 
This bird is remarkable for its partiality to brooks, 
rivers, shores, ponds, and streams of water; wading in 
the shallow s in search of aquatic insects, wagging the 
tail almost continually, chattering as it flies,— and, in 
short, possesses many strong traits and habits of the 
water wagtail. It is also exceedingly shy, darting 
away on the least attempt to approach it, and uttering 
a sharp chip repeatedly, as if greatly alarmed. Among 
the mountain streams in the state of Tennesee, I found 
a variety of this bird pretty numerous, w ith legs of a 
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 
