180 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Behavior. — Mr. Maynard (1896) gives a very good account of the 

 normal behavior of this flycatcher on its migrations, as most of us 

 are likely to see it, in the following words : 



Yellow-bellied Flycatchers are most decidedly, of all tlie genus, the true 

 children of the shade, for they are seldom found elsewhere than in the thickest 

 swamps. Even in these secluded retreats, they avoid the tops of the bushes, 

 keeping well down in the dense foliage, often perching within a foot of the 

 ground. Alder swamps which are so filled with undergrowth that it is diffi- 

 cult to force one's way through them, are the favorite resorts of these Fly- 

 catchers. It is extremely difficult to detect the presence of these little birds in 

 such places, not only on account of the luxurious vegetation, but principally 

 because they are extremely quiet, the only note which they utter during the 

 migrations being a plaintive pea given only at intervals and, so low as to be 

 inaudible a few yards distant. I have frequently entered a swamp in which I 

 was certin some of these Flycatchers had taken refuge and have, at first, been 

 unable to find a single specimen, but upon remaining quiet for a moment, I 

 would hear the low peas in all directions. Guided by the sound of the nearest, 

 I would proceed cautiously in its direction and after a moment's search, would 

 see the bird as he sat on some low twig, occasionally launching outward for 

 a short distance to catch a passing insect which his keen eye had informed liim 

 was especially palatable. As long as I remained perfectly still, the Flycatcher 

 would pursue his vocations but upon my making the slightest movement, he 

 would observe me and, giving a quick, upward flirt of his tail, would flit 

 silently but with marvelous celerity among the brown stems of the alders, 

 and skillfully wending his way through the labyrinth of twigs, vines, and 

 leaves, he would almost instantly disappear. 



In its summer home this flycatcher is equally shy and retiring, not 

 easily approached and oftener heard than seen. It can be lured from 

 its shady retreat by the well-laiown imitation of a squeaking mouse 

 or of the cries of a bird in distress, a trick so often used by ornitholo- 

 gists to call birds into the open. The flycatcher comes eagerly 

 enough, together with all the other small birds within hearing, but he 

 eyes the intruder only momentarily before he discovers the decep- 

 tion and dashes back into cover; he cannot be so easily fooled again. 



Voice. — The vocabulary of the yellow-bellied flycatcher is not 

 elaborate or particularly musical, but it is quite distinctive and its 

 few notes are easily recognized. Bendire (1895) writes: "Its call 

 note is a low, plaintive 'peeh peeh,' the last part more emphasized; 

 another, an alarm note, sounds like 'turri turri'; the same note I put 

 down the previous season as 'trehe-eh, trehe-eh,' with the remark 

 that it reminded me somewhat of the sound produced by sliding a 

 finger over a violin string." 



Dr. Dwiglit (Chapman, 1912) says: "The song is more suggestive 

 of a sneeze on the bird's part than of any other sound with which 

 it may be compared. It is an abrupt fse-eh'^ almost in one ex- 

 plosive syllable, harsh like the deeper tones of a House Wren, 

 and less musical than the similar but longer songs of the Alder 

 or the Acadian Flycatcher. It is hardly surprising that the 



