FLYCATCHERS . 307 



as late as September 25. The nest is variously situated on 

 the limbs of apple and other orchard trees, the tall elms and 

 maples by the roadside, on overhanging limbs of trees border- 

 ing the streams and ponds, and even on the tops of stubs 

 surrounded by water and not over two feet above the waters 

 level in ponds. About the pond near Pittsfield the Kingbirds 

 commonly nest on the top of low broken off stubs which are 

 surrounded by water, and elsewhere along streams in more 

 northern Maine they often nest in bushes overhanging the water. 



The species is very generally distributed and common 

 throughout the State, even on the inhabited outer islands of 

 the coast. Near civilization they seemingly prefer to frequent 

 the vicinity of farmhouses and the more scattered dwellings, 

 but the species is equally at home in the wilderness along 

 waterways and highways but never in the deep impenetrable 

 woods away from natural or artificial highways. Both birds 

 aid in building the nest and sometimes at least take turns at 

 incubating, though other observers have stated the opposite 

 was the case. However I have often seen both birds carrying 

 nesting material at once, and I have also seen one bird take 

 the place just vacated by the other on the nest, and with one 

 particular pair saw such an interchange of places several times. 

 The bird not incubating is however usually the male, and he 

 guards the nest well from some commanding perch near by, 

 uttering his harsh " chew-whe," " chick-ah," a cry very hard 

 to put into words but well known to all. If great danger 

 approaches, such as a Crow passing overhead, both birds are 

 after it in an instant and pursue it a long distance. 



They are very pugnacious and will di'ive away almost any 

 bird that ventures into the vicinity, uttering loud, excited 

 "chic-chew's" oft repeated. The only species which is any- 

 where the equal of a Kingbird is the Ruby-throated Humming- 

 bird which is master of all, even driving the largest Hawks in 

 terror, and before the Ruby-throat the Kingbird generally 

 yields and flees. 



