242 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



and the nesting season is in May and June. Old excavations of Gaird- 

 ner's Woodpecker are commonly resorted to by this species in 

 California. 



The eggs are colored and marked like those of M, mexicamis. 

 Set No. 208 (oological collection of Walter E. Bryant), taken near 

 Oakland, California, June 22, 1881, contains five eggs, which were 

 fresh when found ; their measurements are 22.5 x 16.5, 22 x 16, 23.5 

 xi6.5, 22x16.5, 23x16.5 mm.* Set No. 207, five eggs, taken at 

 Berkely, California, June 9, 1880, contained small embryos, and show 

 the following dimensions: 21x16, 21.5x15.5, 21.5 x 15.5, 21.5 x 16, 

 20x15 rnm.t 



456. Sayornis phcBbe (LATH.) [315.] 



Phoebe. 



Hab. Eastern North America; in winter south to Mexico and Cuba. 



The Phoebe, Pewit, or Pewee is one of the best known birds in 

 Eastern United States, where, with the Robin and the Bluebird, it is 

 always one of the first spring arrivals. Shady ravines; the borders of 

 rivers and open fields are its resorts. It is commonly found perched 

 upon a dead branch of a tree at the edge of a woods, where it sits flirt- 

 ing its tail and occasionally darting out after passing insects, always 

 returning to the same twig, and frequently uttering its simple, agree- 

 able and emphatic note, pe-wee, pe-zvit, or as some hear it, phce-bee. 

 This species is called " Bridge-bird," from its habit of nesting in old 

 wooden bridges. The original situation of the nest is the face of an 

 upright rock, which is sometimes moss-grown and dripping with water. 

 Wilson states that the Phoebe occasionally nests in an open well, five 

 or six feet down, among the interstices of the side-walls ; and Nuttall 

 has known it to nest in an empty kitchen. In wild places, far from the 

 habitation of man, hollow trees are resorted to as breeding places. 

 Stone culverts, caves, old log houses, barns and sheds are its accus- 

 tomed nesting places, and nests are often found in woods built in the 

 roots of overturned trees. Mr. W. W. Coe records the nesting of a 

 pair of Pewees on a ferry boat running between Portland and Middle- 

 town, Connecticut, the boat making trips every ten minutes. The birds 

 seemed to claim Middletown as their home, and appeared to collect the 

 material for the nest on that side of the river. 



My friend, Mr. Mebs, took a nest containing five eggs from the 

 beams of a freight car, which had recently made a trip of forty-five 

 miles. The eggs were fresh, and, except one, unbroken. Two nests 



*.89x .65, .87 x .63, .93 x .65, .87 x .65, .91 x .65. 

 t .83 x .63, .85 x .61, .85 x .61, .85x .63, .79 x .59. 





