286 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



season when some of their favorite prey ever stir abroad. 

 This species also appears particularly fond of small wild 

 bees. From June to September, its solitary notes are 

 heard in the field and forest, after which time, preparing 

 for its departure, and intently gleaning food in every 

 situation, it sometimes approaches the city, often exam- 

 ines the courts and gardens, at the same time feeding 

 and training its young to the habits of their subsistence, 

 and, about the first week in October, it retires south to 

 pas3 the winter. 



The Pcivce is a very expert and cautious flycatcher, 

 and as if aware of the drowsiness of insects in the ab- 

 sence of the sun's broad light, he is on the alert at day- 

 dawn after his prey. At this early period, and often in 

 the dusk of evening, for the most part of summer till 

 the middle of August, he serenades the neighbourhood 

 of his mansion from 3 to 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, 

 with an almost uninterrupted chanting ditty, sweet, but 

 monotonous, like pe-ay pdi/-wee, pe-ay pay-wee , then in a 

 little higher and less sinor-sonor tone, his usual and more 

 serious pec-d-tace. In dark and damp mornings, this 

 curious warble is sometimes continued nearly to 8 o'clock ; 

 and the effect of this tender, lulling lay, in the grey dawn, 

 before the awakening of other birds, and their mingling 

 chorus, is singular, and peculiarly pleasing. It is a 

 gratulatory feeling of unmixed and placid delight, con- 

 comitant with the mild reviving light of the opening day, 

 and the perfect joy of the mated male, satisfied in every 

 reasonable desire; in short, a hymn of praise to the be- 

 nevolent Author and Supporter of existence ! 



Towards the period of departure they become wholly 

 silent, and, driven to extremity, they may now be seen 

 watching the stagnant pools and ponds, dipping occasion- 

 ally into the still surface after their drowsy and languid 

 prey. Like the King-bird, this species at times displays 



