114 NEW- YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



THE WOOD PEWEE. 



MlISCICAPA VIRENS. 

 PLATE XXXI. FIG. 69. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Muscicapa virens, LlNNilus. Cinereous Flycatcher, Pennant, Arct Zool. Vol. 2, p. 387. 



M. rapax, Bartram. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 81, pi. 13, fig. 5. 



M. virens. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 68. 



M. id. Audubon, fol. pi. 115 (male) ; Orn. Biog. Vol. 2, p. 93, and Vol. 5, p. 425. 



Wood Pewee. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1. p. 285. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 1, p. 231, pi. 64 (male). 



Wood Pewee Flycatcher. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 43. Tyrannula of recent authors. 



Characteristics. Dark brown olive ; beneath pale greenish yellow. Upper mandible black ; 

 lower yellow. Tail emarginate : second primary longest. Length, six 

 inches. 



Description. Bill with sides somewhat convex ; the edges sharp, and the tip slightly bent 

 and notched. Head subcrested. Tail deeply emarginate. 



Color. Above dusky olive inclining to greenish ; the upper part of the head brownish 

 black : a pale whitish ring around the eye. Two obscure greyish bands on the wings ; 

 secondaries bordered with greyish. Beneath pale greenish yellow ; throat and breast greyish 

 tinged with green. Upper mandible and feet black. 



Length, 6-0- 6-5. Alarextent, 10'0-irO. 



The Wood Pewee winters in Mexico, where it was noticed by Lichtenstein, and appears in 

 our State about the middle of May. It advances as far north as the 50th degree, and is seen 

 on the Rocky mountains. It breeds in this State, laying three or four cream-colored eggs 

 with irregular spots of brown towards the larger end. It feeds on insects, which it seizes 

 with great adroitness on the wing. The male and female scarcely differ in their plumage. 



