264 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



truder, at the same time giving the note of alarm which never fails to bring the 

 female to the scene. Then there is a snapping of beaks, and a regular whirl of 

 wings and tails about the unwelcome visitor, who is forced to leave the locality 

 faster than he came. 



With all his warlike proclivities, the Coues flycatcher has another quality — 

 that of attracting friends — which is equally strong. Among the more timid 

 birds he numbers a host of friends who seem to be conscious of the existing 

 bond, and very readily take advantage of it. 



He refers to a habit, noticed on several occasions, that various small 

 birds have formed of building their nests in close proximitj^ to the nest 

 of the flycatcher, for the protection afforded by this aggressive fighter. 

 On one occasion, he states^ — 



on the same limb, not more than four feet apart, was a nest of the Coues flycatcher 

 and one of the hepatic tanager, with a nest of a plumbeous vireo not more than 

 twenty feet from the others. All these nests contained full sets of eggs, 

 showing that nest building had been carried on at the same time in all three 

 cases. Naturally we wondered how these three pairs of birds, including the 

 belligerent flycatcher, could get along in perfect harmony, building their nests 

 and sitting on their eggs side by side. * * * 



On many occasions, in seasons following, I found nests of various warblers, 

 vireos, tanagers, and other birds in close proximity to nests of the Coues fly- 

 catcher. Once by using a small cloth scoop on the end of a pole I took a set 

 each of Coues flycatcher and a black-fronted warbler, without changing my 

 position in the tree. Another time I took a set of olive warbler and a set of 

 black-fronted warbler from the same tree, and a set of Coues flycatcher from 

 a tree not more than fifteen feet distant. In these, as well as in many other 

 instances, I had the opportunity to learn the reason for these family gatherings. 

 In the locality where my observations have been made, the smaller and more 

 peaceable birds suffer great loss from snakes, squirrels, and jays. Probably the 

 most bitter enemy of the smaller birds is the long-crested jay, who is continually 

 in search of their nests. When the jay locates a nest, his call-note brings as 

 many as half a dozen of his hungry comrades to the scene, and under a feeble 

 attack from the parent birds, the eggs or young, as the case may be, are 

 carried off or devoured on the spot. Many times, even, the nest is torn into 

 shreds. All this, however, does not occur when there is a nest of the Coues 

 flycatcher in the vicinity, for upon the first alarm, the flycatcher comes to the 

 rescue, and the would-be assailant is forced to leave. This wholesale slaughter 

 seems to teach these much imposed upon species to seek the protection of the 

 more independent flycatcher. 



Voice. — The only note that we heard from tiiis flycatcher sounded 

 somewhat like the note of the wood pewee, but louder, more 

 forceful, and perhaps more musical — pe-wee-ee, the middle syllable 

 strongly accented and the last prolonged on a slightly higher key. 

 The notes are said to be like those of the olive-sided flycatcher but 

 are readily distinguishable. Mr. Swarth (1904) says: "As with 

 horealis the male bird is fond of getting in some elevated position, 

 usually the extremity of a dead limb at the top of some tall pine or 

 fir, and remaining there for hours, uttering at frequent intervals its 

 loud, characteristic call. In character and tone this call is quite 



