50 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



people the Pewee is only a voice, as it is a somber looking bird 

 of the size of a sparrow, very dark greenish above and dull 

 yellowish white beneath, and appears seldom in the open, 

 doing its flycatching chiefly amidst the branches of trees; 

 but its voice is something unique, a long-drawn pewee with 

 the accent on the second syllable. This genuine woodland 

 note is heard throughout summer, often when all nature seems 

 to be asleep in the noon heat of the dog-days, and at dusk 

 long after most other birds are at rest. Like all other mem- 

 bers of the Flycatcher family the Pewee belongs to the most 

 beneficial inhabitants of any place, because, living almost 

 wholly on winged insects, it never touches any cultivated 

 fruit. Unfortunately its beautiful moss-covered, saucer- 

 shaped nest, saddled on a horizontal bough and well out of 

 reach of enemies below, is too easily accessible to tree-inhab- 

 iting nest robbers, and this may be the reason why they are 

 never plentiful in places where Squirrels and Blue Jays abound. 



traill's flycatcher. Empidonax trailii. 



Every species of bird has a preference for a certain kind of 

 surrounding wherein to make its home. Many choose the 

 deep forest, some the edge of the forest or clearings, others 

 select open country where trees stand far apart or in scat- 

 tered clumps. Some want meadows with or without trees, 

 some want them dry, others wet; some are found only in the 

 immediate vicinity of water, others never very far from it. 



Traill's Flycatcher is one of the birds that hke low trees 

 and shrubbery near water in partly open country, and is never 

 found in the forest which it leaves entirely to a very near 

 relative, the Acadian Flycatcher. In the Garden one pair 

 has made its home in the arboretum along the crceklet, and 

 two pairs in the new part, the North American Synopsis, which 

 with its large pond and clear running water makes a perfect 

 home for this and several other species. It requires quite a 

 little watching to become acquainted with Traill's Flycatcher, 

 for, though not very shy, it escapes notice easily on account of 

 its unassuming dress and quick movements. The only time 

 when we cannot help noticing it is when, perched on some 



