AVES— FLYCATCHER. 509 



formed, are somewhat scantier. It is formed of a little loose hay, featners 

 of the Guinea fowls, hogs' bristles, pieces of cast snake skins, and dogs' hair. 

 Whether he surrounds his nest with the snake skin by way of terrorem, to 

 prevent other birds or animals from entering, or whether it be that he finds 

 its silky softness suitable for his young, is uncertain ; the fact, however, is 

 notorious. It feeds on whortleberries, while they last. 



It is eight inches and a half long; the upper parts are dull greenish olive, 

 the feathers on the head are pointed, and form a sort of crest; the throat 

 and breast ash color ; the rest of the lower parts a sulphur yellow. 



THE PEWIT FLYCATCHER i 



[s one of our earliest spring visitants. Its notes, like those of the blue- 

 bird, are pleasing, not for any melody they contain, but for the ideas of spring 

 and returning verdure, with all the sweets of this lovely season, which are 

 associated with his simple but lively ditty, which is nothing but pewie, 

 pewittitee, peivee, for a whole morning. It begins to build in March, on some 

 projecting part under a bridge, in a cave, in a well, often under a shed 

 in the low eaves of a cottage, and in such places. The nest is composed 

 of mud mixed with moss, lined with flax and horse-hair, and is generally 

 large and solid. This bird is six inches and a half in length; the upper 

 parts are dusky olive ; whole lower parts a pale delicate yellow ; the plu- 

 mage of the head is loose and crested. 



THE SMALL BLUE -GRAY FLYCATCHERS 



If it were not for the length of the tail, would rank next to the humming- 

 bird in magnitude. It is four inches and a half long; the plumage above 

 is of a light bluish gray ; below, bluish white ; the wings brownish black. 

 Its motions are quick ; he seems always on the look-out for insects ; darts 

 about from one part of the tree to another with hanging wings, and erected 

 tail, making a feeble chirping tsee, tsee, no louder than a mouse. Though 

 so small, it is ambitious of hunting on the highest branches, and is seldom 

 seen among the humbler thickets. It fixes its nest among the twigs on the 

 top of a high tree ; this is formed of the stems of old leaves, the husks of 

 buds, the withered blossoms of weeds, coated with dry lichen, and lined with 

 horse-hair. Yet in this frail receptacle does the female cow-bird venture to 

 deposit her egg ; and to the management of these pigmy nurses, leaves 

 the fate of her helpless young. 



1 Muscicapa phebe, Lath. * Musckapa caerulea, Wilson. 



43* 



