Anorthura hiomalis. 
Maine (Lake Umbagog). 
1879. 
May 28. 
1 
Ever since my arrival a male has sung regularly in 
the vz-oods behind the house. To-day I found the female 
at v/ork upon her nest under the trunk of a fallen tree 
covered v/ith brush vrood. She came and went at frequent 
intervals v/ith her bill full of shreds of green moss. 
This she collected only a fev/ yards from the spot to 
which she carried it, half-running, half-flying over the 
ground, invariably keeping concealed under the side of 
a fallen tree-top. When she emerged from beneath the 
roots where the nest was building she invariably paused 
a moment and quivered her wings tremulously, at the same 
time rocking her body to and fro. 
1 
June 16. 
They rarely sing novr except in early morning. 
1880. 
May 16. 
In full song. 
« 18. 
The v;oods ringing v/ith their exquisite music.. 
“ 28. 
Set A-6. — Three eggs incubated about five days, the 
remaining three addled; nest set into the face of earthy 
root-bank near its base, about fifteen inches above the 
ground; the female started off dropping to the ground 
and half-running half-flying, glided around the corner 
of the bank and disappeared. She neither returned 
nor made any noise \7hile I v;as wrapping up the eggs. I 
suspected that there was a nest in this bank when I 
passed it May 24; at that time the bird also came out 
but she glided av/’ay so silently and mysteriously, that 
after hunting the bank carefully I declared that I must 
have seen a shadov/’. Indeed, to-day I found the entrance 
to the nest only after the most careful search. 
T\70 other nests found to-day, one just completed, 
the birds at vrork on the other. 
to 
CD 
Three nests in root banks; tv;o apparently nev/, but 
; empty; the third evidently old within two feet of one 
of the novr ones and in the same bank where there was also 
an old Water Thrush’s nest. 
June 3. 
1 Set B-5. — Nearly hatched. Nest on face of root 
bank supported by fine tootlets and not at all concealed 
as was Sot A-6. Placed at top of bank about five 
feet above ground'. Both birds absent. 
“ 11. 
Sot C-6. — Erosh. Nest in under side of an 
immense root bank, in pocket excavated by the bird; the 
face of the nest flush vrith that of the bank; female 
sitting; she came out in my very face and glidedf^ si¬ 
lently away, returning shortly aftervrards and entering 
the nest 'when I vras within a yard of it. She was si¬ 
lent; male singing about fifty yards off. This nest 
vras about one hundred yards from the site of A-6 and 
evidently a second laying by the same bird. 
