410 CONTOPUS VIRENS. 



In M-iissarhuscits, these Flyc-iitchers iippear to prefer old fields grown up to eedars, 

 l)nt place the nest on the outermost limb of some deciduous tree, cither an apple or an oak. 

 They become attaidied to certain localities and will return year after year to breed in the 

 same place, for Mr. II. A. Purdie has found the nest several successive seasons in one field. 

 They are extremely solicitous for the safety of their eggs and sound their loud alarm notes 

 so frequently that, as Mr. Purdie remarks, they always betray their nesting place. 



They an-ive in New l^^ngland aliout the middle of May, nest the first week in June, 

 the young leave their homes by the middle of July, and all migrate by the last of August. 

 I saw a single specimen on a slope of the Alleghany Mountains near Williamsport, Penn- 

 sylvania, as late as the first week of June, thus it is possible that they breed in the more 

 elevated portions of that section, more especially as the growth of timber there corresponds 

 (|uite nearly to that of Northern New Hampshire. 



COIITOPUS VIRENS. 

 Wood Pewee. 



Contojmx vircnn U.\r.ANiS, Jouv. fur Omith., Ill; 1855, 47!>. 



DESCTJI'TION. 



Si'. Cii. Form, slenilcv. Size, small. Sternum, not stout. Tongue, rather long, thin .nnil horny, l)ifid, Imt witliout 

 the terminal cilia. Stomach, not very muscular. 



Color. Adult. Above, including upper tail coverts, olivaceous-brown, darl<cst on the be^d. Wings and tail, brown, 

 with the. secondaries and tertiaries edged with yellowish-white. Tips of two rows of wing coverts, forming bars, also white. 

 Beneath, yollowisb-white, with the sides, flanks, tibca, and indistinct hand across breast, olivaecous-brown. Under tail 

 Coverts, yellowish-white, streaked with olivaceous. Upper mandible, dark-brown, lower, yellow. Feet, black. 



Adult, in fiutumn. Darker above and much yellower below than in spring. The under i}iandil)le is al<o dark-bi-own, 

 but ppJc-ycllow at the base. The wing markings show a strong tinging of yellow. 



Younij of Ihcycnr. Quite lirown ab(jve with an overwa.shing of yellowish-rufous rn the nape, rump, and upper tail 

 eoverts. The wing liars are liroader, but the white is replaced by yellowish-rufous. Under ])ortions, similar to the adult, 

 but the dark laarliings arc greener. Dill, very dark-brown, yellow at base of 1 >wer man lible. 



Ncstlimjs. Similar aliovo to the plumage ia.st described, but browner and sliowing more yellowish-ruf ais. rieneath,. 

 olivaecous-brown, witli t!io abdomen and under tail coverts, yellowish-white. Bill, usually black, with dull-orange at the 

 btiso (,f tlic upi>er man lible, hat a speoinien n it iiuite fully grown, kindly procured fjr me by the Bangs Brothers, has the 

 und.'r mandi'.l.- entirely yelliw as in the adult. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Specimens of the same ago vary Iiut little, excepting in form of bill. In the yourfger stages this member is broader and 

 has a shorter cuiTcd ti]!, especially in nestlings. It is somewhat difficult to obtain a specimen wdiich is entirely in the first 

 plumag.i as they acquire the second dress before they are fully gi'own and, on the other hand, the adults delay so long in 

 assuming the antumnal dress that it is rare to take one in this stage in New England; the one which I have described being 

 taken on the autumnal i;iigrati.in in Pennsylvania. Known from horcalis by the smaller size, more slender finn, and tlie 

 uniformity of the dar!;cr iiiarlcings, tliey being in streaks in the larger sjiecies. Distributed in summer throughout Ea.stevn 

 North America I'.-im Canada south, at least, to (Jeiirgia. Wintei's in Mexico and Central America. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average mea,surements of fourteen specimens. Length, C'45; stretch, 10-20; wing, H'37; tail, 2-'l!; hill, '.57; tarsus, -.^O. 

 Longest specimen, (5-80; greatest extent of wing, 10"85; longest wing, 3-60; tail, S-75; bill, '05; tarsus, -55. S'iortea >|icci- 

 men, fi' 10; smallest extent of wing, 0-(i5; shortest wing, 3- 15; tail, 2"24; bill, 'SO; tai'sus, '45. 



nriscniPTioN of nests and egos. 



Nest.'i, placed in trees, com]iosed, inwardly, of grass and ]iinc leaves. The outside is smoothly covered with lichens se- 

 cured by cobwebs. Lined with line gress. The wliole structure somewhat rescmliles that ol the Humming l!ird. Dimen- 

 .sions, external diameter, 2-50, internal, 2-00. External depth, I'SO, internal, 100. 



EijijSy three in num'bcr, oval in form, cream.j'-buff in color, .spotted and lilotched aroun<l tlie larger end with l)rov,n. 

 um-ljer, and lilac, there Iieing few or no markings (m the smaller end. Dimcnsi.ins from '71 x'iJO to '75 x •.'i5. 



