288 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



SMALL PEWEE. 



(Muscicapa acadica, Gm. M. querula, Wilson, ii. p. 77. pi. 13. fig. 3. 

 M. Trailing Audubon, pi. 45. Philad. Museum. No. 6825.) 



3 



Sp. Charact. — Dusky olive-green, below yellowish white; bill 

 black, beneath dull flesh-color; 3d primary longest, 1st and 6th 

 equal. 



This is one of our most common summer birds in this 

 part of New England, arriving from the South about the 

 last week in April, and leaving us, to retire probably to 

 tropical America, about the beginning of September, or 

 sometimes a little later. They also extend their migra- 

 tions to Labrador, and seem most abundant in the North- 

 ern and Eastern States. Though^ like the preceding, it 

 is a solitary, retiring bird, and fond of the shade of the 

 forest, yet in this vicinity, their nests are numerous. On 

 their first arrival, previous to pairing, they are engaged in 

 constant quarrels about their mates, and often molest 

 other birds whom they happen to see employed in pursuit 

 of the same kind of food with themselves. Like the pre- 

 ceding species, they take their station on a low branch to 

 reconnoitre the passing insects on which they feed, and 

 from time to time make a circular sweep for their prey. 

 When seated, they utter very frequently a sharp, unpleasant 

 squeak, somewhat resembling that of the King-bird, sound- 

 ing like quedh, and sometimes 'tsh'aJi, or tshedh, tslicdh, 

 and tsJtooe, with a guttural, snapping sound, succeeded by 

 a kind of querulous, low twitter, uttered as they fly from 

 tree to tree, and chiefly at the instant of alighting. At 

 other times they have a recognising, rather low call of 'whit 

 'lahit, repeated at short intervals ; again, in the warmest 

 weather, I have heard one of these Pewees call something 

 like the whistling of *tveet 'iveet 'weet 'will. Occasionally, 

 when fighting or in flying, it also makes an echoing 



