Val. XVIII 

 1918 



] AsHBV, Birds in the Baltimore Woods, U.S.A. HQ 



we were able to identify three species of Flycatchers. The first 

 seen was in big timber — the Crested Flycatcher {Myiarchus 

 crinitiis), a long-tailed, somewhat slender bird, 9 inches in length, 

 grey head and back, slight yellow wash on belly, and patch of 

 rufous on wing and tail. It was able to elevate its crest to the 

 same extent that our Australian Restless Flycatcher {Sets lira 

 inqiiieta) does. A small grey Flycatcher, Phoebe {Sayornis phoebe), 

 7 inches in length, was catching gnats over the water. Shortly 

 afterwards we noted a veritable imitation of the same bird, but 

 with a very different cry, of which the word " Pee-ah-wee " is a 

 good rendering. It is known as the Wood-Peewee {Myiochanes 

 vireiis). The Wood-Peewee will come back to the same twig after 

 each catch, whereas the Phoebe more often alights on the nearest 

 resting-place after a catch is made. All these Flycatchers are 

 much more slender than our Microecas ; in build they approximate 

 to the Caterpillar-eaters (Lalage), but in flight and method of 

 hawking they are very similar to the former. 



In the grassy meadows we counted nearly a score of the 

 American Robin {Planesticiis tnigratoriiis). In old collections it 

 is placed with the European Blackbird in the genus Merula. Its 

 notes partake of the character of the Blackbird's song, but are 

 nothing like so full and melodious. Its movements are most 

 similar to those of the European Blackbird. The red of the breast 

 and belly is a rich rufous, but no suggestion of what we understand 

 by " red." 



In a patcli of larger timber a flock of handsome Purple Crackles 

 {Qniscalus qiiisciila) flew up with sharp cries. The plumage of 

 this bird has a purple sheen, and the tail is of exceptional length. 

 They feed on damp meadows ; I noticed numbers on the grass in 

 the open spaces in the City of Washington (District of Columbia). 

 We next had a good view of a Blue-Bird {Sialia sialis). The blue 

 is a bluish-grey under the shade of the forest trees, but in the 

 sunshine it is a charming object, the whole of the upper plumage 

 being then bright blue, though the under is purplish-rufous, which 

 contrasts strangely with the blue. 



Quite a large bird next attracted our attention as it flew out of 

 a thick isolated tree growing in the open meadow and made its 

 way into the thick shade of a clump of lofty oak trees. One 

 caught a glimpse of a distinct bluish shade in its plumage, but 

 the light was not in the right angle to see it properly. Its loud, 

 harsh cry proclaimed it as one of America's handsomest birds, 

 the famous Blue Jay [Cyanocitta cristata). With the aid of the 

 field-glass the lovely blue of its crest and back and the glorious 

 blue of its wings and tail were easily visible. Quite a number of 

 small birds made a dead set on him, diving and pecking at the 

 Jay, uttering angry, insulting exclamations, expressive of their 

 enmity. And no wonder, for the Jay is most destructive to the 

 eggs and young of the small birds, and therefore they put forth 

 their l)est efforts to drive the Blue Jays away from the neighbour- 

 hood of their nests. « 



