Bulletin - United States National Museum (1883) (14760097406)

Identifier: bulletinunitedst261883unitfo (find matches)
Title: Bulletin - United States National Museum
Year: 1877 (1870s)
Authors: United States National Museum Smithsonian Institution United States. Dept. of the Interior
Subjects: Science
Publisher: Washington : Smithsonian Institution Press, (etc.) for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt Print. Off.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries



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grants, of which seven(virens, carulescens, blackburna,castanea,pennsylvanica, striata,maculosa)do not differ materially in uumbers, habits, resorts, or periods of migra-tion. One (palmarum) differs notably in these particulars; one (tigrina)is extremely rare; one (dominica) is merely a straggler. There is atleast one more to come into the list (cwrulea). 49. (65.) Siurus auricapillus (Linn.) Sw. Golden-crowned Thrush ; Oven-bird.An extremely abundant summer resident. It arrives April 12, andfor about two weeks keeps perfectly silent, hiding in the thickets andlaurel brakes (Kalmia latifolia), until the spur of the sexual exaltationis felt. About the 1st of May its loud, harsh, monotonous notes tillthe woods, greatly to the annoyance of the collector who searches withhis senses all on the alert for rarer and more retiring species. To atonefor this, however, a little later still in the season, the bird breaks forthin a song of exquisite pathos and extraord iuary power. It is found auy-
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FlG. 16.— Head of Gulden crowned Thrush, iiat. size. where in woodland, but particularly where high timber shadows thickundergrowth. The ravines and hillsides along Eock Creek, where theforests tower over the brakes, fairly resound with the accelerated chantof the Golden-crown during the latter part of April and early in May.It is not at all aquatic, but is fond of rambling over the ground andrustling among the fallen leaves for insects. AYhen disturbed, it takesa short flight to the nearest convenient bough, where it sits motionless,watching the intruder. The nest is built on the ground, more or lessarched over, and contains white, spotted eggs. (135) 50. (66). Siurus naevius Bodd. Cones. (S. noveboracensis of the original edition.)Water Wagtail ; Small-billed Water Thrush. Quite common during the migrations. It also appears to breed heresparingly, as we have found it in July. Arrives in spring, according toour observations, about May 1, but so secretive and retiring a speciesmay e