TYRANNIC^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 373 



or retiring, but frequents the open grounds, visits gardens, is found in the 

 vicinity of dwellings, and breeds even in the vines that half conceal their 

 windows and doors. 



This Flycatcher reaches Washington, according to Dr. Coues, the last of 

 April, and remains about two weeks. It returns in autumn the third week 

 in August, and remains till the last of September. It is only a spring and 

 autumnal visitant, none breeding, and is rather common. It frequents the 

 margins of small streams and brooks. 



I am not aware that the nest of this species has ever been procured farther 

 south than New York City, yet it is given by Mr. Dresser as having been 

 found common by him, through the summer, near San Antonio. It is not, 

 however, mentioned by Dr. Woodhouse, nor by the Mexican Survey, nor was 

 it met with by Sumichrast in Vera Cruz. It is cited by Dr. Coues as only 

 a migrant in South Carolina. Near Philadelphia Mr. TurnbuU gives it as 

 a somewhat rare migrant, passing north in April and returning in September, 

 but adds that a few remain to breed. I did not find it breeding in the vicin- 

 ity of Newark, nor, among a very extensive collection of nests and eggs 

 made in that neighborhood, were there any eggs of this species. It is men- 

 tioned by Mr. Boardman as occurring at Calais, and in the western part of the 

 State Mr. Verrill found it a very common summer visitant, arriving there 

 about the middle of May and breeding there in numbers. It is also an ex- 

 ceedingly frequent summer visitant at Hamilton, Canada West, according 

 to Mr. Mcllwraith. It is found during the winter months near Oaxaca, 

 Mexico, according to Mr. Boucard, and has been met with throughout Mex- 

 ico and south to Guatemala. 



In Massachusetts this Flycatcher is one of the most abundant and familiar 

 species, arriving from about the 20th of April to the 1st of May. It is found 

 most frequently in orchards, gardens, and open grounds, and very largely on 

 the edges of woods, remaining until October. They are much addicted to 

 particular localities, and return to the same spot year after year, if undis- 

 turbed. A pair that had established their hunting-grounds in an open area 

 north of a dwelling in Roxbury returned to the same spot for several suc- 

 cessive years, and would come regularly to the piazza of the house, where 

 bits of cotton were exposed for the benefit of such of the whole feathered 

 tribe as chose to avail themselves of it. Each year they drew nearer and 

 nearer the house, until at last the nest was made in a clump of honeysuckle 

 on the corner of the piazza, from which they would sally forth in quest of 

 insects, entirely unmindful of the near presence of the family. I never 

 observed the quarrelsome disposition that Nuttall speaks of, nor have I ever 

 seen them molest other birds, even when the summer Yellow-Birds and the 

 Chipping Sparrows have nested in the same clump. They are very silent 

 birds, having no song and no other cry or note than a very feeble, guttural 

 utterance, given out either as a single sound or as a succession of twitters. 

 Their nest is a very common receptacle for the eggs of the Cow Blackbird. 



