196 BULLETIN 179, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



ranging from New England, and Pennsylvania, west to Ohio, Indi- 

 ana, Illinois, and Michigan have been found. * * * Qf these 

 twenty-two no fewer than twelve come from southern Pennsylvania 

 (Jacobs, Oologist, May, 1924, pp. 52-54)." 



In qualification of Mr. Jacobs's finding, it should be observed that 

 the nests of virescens were but 12 in number, in a total of 234 nests 

 of various species that held cowbird eggs. 



Bendire (1895) says: "Occasionally the Acadian Flycatcher builds 

 a double nest — for instance, when a Cowbird has deposited an egg in 

 one just completed, before the owner has laid in it. Mr. W. E. 

 Loucks, of Peoria, Illinois, sends me such a record. The nest found 

 by him contained a Cowbird's egg in the lower story and three fresh 

 eggs in the upper one." 



But for this, it does not appear that the Acadian flycatcher is a 

 species heavily preyed upon. The number of eggs that it lays and 

 the fact that (so far as is known) no more than one brood is nor- 

 mally raised in a season indicate that it is a vigorous species, with 

 few enemies. 



Miller (1915) has remarked upon the decrease in the numbers of 

 Acadian flycatchers in the vicinity of Philadelphia; and Griscom 

 (1923) has made similar comment upon conditions in the vicinity 

 of New York City. The latter is at a loss to find explanation ; but 

 the former undoubtedly recognizes the true reason, in observing that 

 in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, where the extensive forests cover 

 the banks of the stream with both conifers and deciduous trees, the 

 species is apparently increasing. When the forests are cut away the 

 bird disappears. Certainly in its proper environment it continues 

 to be abundant. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Eastern United States and southern Ontario; winters in 

 northwestern South America. 



Breeding range. — The breeding range of the Acadian flycatcher 

 extends north to northeastern Nebraska (West Point) ; Iowa (Sioux 

 City, Woodward, and McGregor) ; southern Wisconsin (Prairie du 

 Sac and Calhoun) ; northern Michigan (Blaney and probably Sault 

 Ste. Marie) ; southern Ontario (probably Coldstream and Dunn- 

 ville) ; northern New York (Lockport, Watertown, and Albany) ; 

 and southern Vermont (Bennington). East to Vermont (Benning- 

 ton) ; Massachusetts (Hyde Park) ; Connecticut (Danbury and Stam- 

 ford) ; and south along the coast to southeastern Georgia (St. 

 Marys); and Florida (Gainesville). South to northern Florida 

 (Gainesville, Oldtown, Tallahassee, and Pensacola) ; southern Lou- 

 isiana (New Orleans) ; and Texas (Houston and San Antonio) ; 

 West to central Texas (San Antonio and Kerrville) ; Oklahoma 



