EASTERN WOOD PEWEE 267 



the summer or have passed farther northward. In April the hordes 

 of sparrows swept through the country, and early in May the orioles 

 came back to us from South America. The rush of warblers has 

 mainly passed now, but the last of the blackpolls are marching 

 through, and the northern thrushes, the oliveback and the graycheek, 

 the rear guard of the migration, are hiding in the shadows. 



It is at this time of the year, when spring is in full bloom, when 

 the countryside is brilliant green and the forest leaves are almost 

 summer size, that the wood pewee calmly takes his place among the 

 big trees of our woodlands, the shade trees of our streets, and, if the 

 trees be tall, even in our gardens. His slow, sweet, quiet, three-note 

 song tells us that he is here, hidden among the leaves, although the 

 bird remains for the most part so high up in the thick foliage that 

 we may not catch a glimpse of him for weeks unless we look sharply 

 — not perhaps until the young are fledged and descend from their 

 lofty nest and begin to wander about with their parents. 



All the way on its journey from the south, the wood pewee has 

 loitered behind the hurrying migrants, leisurely delaying its home- 

 coming, and now, at last on its breeding ground, it finds many of its 

 neighbors with broods already hatched, engaged with the turmoils 

 of parenthood. 



Courtship. — The wood pewee seems to have no well-marked ritual 

 in its courtship behavior. He does indeed break away from his 

 characteristic calm and becomes more animated during the short 

 nuptial season, flying about more rapidly than usual and engaging 

 in lively, weaving chases among the branches. Such pursuits, how- 

 ever, apparently constitute, as is the case with many of the smaller 

 birds, the only courtship display. Audubon (1840) says: "During 

 the love season, it often flies, with a vibratory motion of the wings, 

 so very slowly that one might suppose it about to poise itself in the 

 air. On such occasions its notes are guttural, and are continued for 

 several seconds as a low twitter." 



Dr. Samuel S. Dickey has contributed to Mr. Bent, in careful, 

 extensive notes, the result of his long study of the wood pewee. 

 These notes will be quoted repeatedly hereinafter. Of courtship he 

 writes: "During the mating period they are unusually vivacious. 

 They tweek their wings and agitate their tails and spring prettily 

 forward. It is no uncommon sight to see two males in combat. 

 They draw up to each other, hover an instant in a clearing, and then 

 in close contact they fall downward together, but before they reach 

 the ground they usually swerve to one side. With squeaking out- 

 cries they continue the chase until one bird, tiring of the contest, 

 takes shelter in some distant tree. Wlien a male has found a female 

 to his liking, he pursues her in and out of the avenues between the 



