158 THE FE.4THERED TUIliES. 



the services of this and other friendly birds, would far overbalance all the produce of the 

 bee-hives in fifty." 



This bird is eight inches in length, and fourteen in extent of wing. The general 

 colour of the upper parts is dark bluish-gray, inclining to dull slate-black on the head, 

 of which the central feathers along the crown form a rich flame-coloured patch, margined 

 Ti-ith yellow. The quill-feathers and secondaries are brownish, tipped -nath dull white ; 

 tail brownisli-black, tipped with white ; the chest grayish-white, becoming pure on the 

 throat and imder surface ; the biU black ; the tarsi dnll gray. 



Its favourite haunts are the skirts of woods, orchai'ds, gardens, and fields of clover. 

 Perched on a branch, a stake, or a tall weed, all alertness and energy, he glances eagerly 

 around in search of the passing prey. In a moment he is gone ; now sweeping close to 

 the verdure of the field ; now mounting in graceful undulations,- or abrupt!}^ turning 

 short ; now to the right, now to the left, snapping at the insects as he passes, when, 

 haA-ing secured his booty, he returns, either to the same point of observation, or proceeds 

 to another, to look out for another chance. One of his special dainties is a large gad-fly, 

 peculiarly terrifying to horses and cattle ; and his destruction of hordes of insects, 

 similarly dreaded, certainly more than counterbalances the occasional injuries he inflicts. 



Like the swallow, this bird dehghts to sweep over the surface of rivers, chasing the 

 insects which dance in the air above, and every now and then dipping and emerging, 

 shaking the spray, as he rises, from his rapiidly vibrating wings, and then jicrching on 

 some "Hear branch to preen his j)lumage. During the calm and warmth of summer, 

 numbers may be seen thus engaged on the rivers Sch>iylkill and Delaware, as the 

 evening comes on. 



The nest of this bird is built on branches of trees, often of such as grow in the orchaixl, 

 at no great distance from the ground. The outside consists of twgs and vegetable fibres, 

 having an inner laj'cr of cotton, wool, or tow, of great thickness, and well matted 

 together, the whole being lined with fibrous roots and horsehair. The eggs, of a reddish- 

 white, spotted irregularly with brown, arc five or six in number. 



THE rE^^UT ri.Y-CATCHER.* 



This bird is well known in many portions of the Xew Wuild. In tlu; cailicr jjart of 

 the year it may be found chiefly in the swampy woods of North and South Carolina, 

 where it prefers the neighbourhood of streams of water. Near such sjiots these birds 

 will remain on a projecting twig for hours together, calling out pe-wee, pewittitee, 

 pe-w^e, darting, ever and anon, after insects, and returning to the same twig. Tliey 

 select some projecting part under a bridge, in a cave, in an open wall, or in the low 

 eaves of a cottage, where to build their nest, tlie outside of wliich is composed of mud 

 mixed with moss. Tlic inside is lined with flax and horse-hair. The eggs are five in 

 number, and arc white in colour, but having two or three dots of red near tlic larger end. 



A\'ilson mentions that in a wood with which ho was acquainted, " by tlie side of a 

 small stream, in a cave five or six feet high, formed hj the undermining of the water 

 below, and the projection of two large rocks above : — 



" Tlifiv down siiiocitli, glistfiiiiij,' roiUs tlic livukt pours, 



Till ill a pool its silent wiiteis slcrp, 

 A (laik-biowcd clitt', o'citopiiid with t'lTii and flowers, 



Hangs, giiinly lowiiinj,', oVr the glassy diij) ; 

 .Miovc lliniiigli cviry tliink the woodhims ciTcp, 



And biuooth-barkcd Ixcchcs spiiad llieir arms aiouiid. 

 Whose roots eliiijj twisli d Kuiiid the rocky steep ; 



* Muscicapa Nunciola. 



