526 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



In the breeding season they resort to the pine woods by 

 preference, and as a result are rather common in the pine 

 barrens of the coastal plain. Inland the species is common 

 and while preferring the pines still, also occurs in rather open 

 mixed woods where cedars, hemlocks and spruces predominate, 

 and in northern Maine is found in spruce woods, seemingly 

 because no other kinds are available. 



The nest is variously situated. Mr. Clark mentions that in 

 Washington County it quite frequently builds its nest near the 

 ground. June 25, 1903, he found a nest in a small fir tree not 

 over five feet from the ground and he states he has found 

 other nests not over eight to twelve feet up. Near Bangor the 

 species builds fifty to seventy feet up in the larger, taller pine 

 trees. Mr. Swain's experience with the species is given in full 

 later on. 



The food consists almost entirely of insects, including 

 beetles, flies, moths, spiders, grubs, larvae and in general the 

 sorts of insects found on the limbs and foliage of the various 

 evergreen trees and especially on the pines. Only rarely do 

 they take their prey in the air, preferring to diligently seek 

 it out among the branches and foliage. The typical rather 

 jerky song is frequently uttered and sounds to me like " te he- 

 think-o-me." Their calls are a "chip" a "chick" and a 

 "tsip." The male helps feed the young but I cannot say 

 whether he renders any other aid or not. 



Four eggs, more rarely five are laid and these are white or 

 creamy white, spotted, blotched and speckled with olive green, 

 umber, chestnut gray, and occasionally with a few black dots. 

 The spots are largest and arranged in a rather open circle 

 about the larger end, while a few fine dots are scattered 

 over the other portions of the eggs. A set with nest in my 

 collection was taken by Mr. Swain at Cape Elizabeth, May 

 30, 1896. This nest was placed in a small fir bush, two and 

 a half feet from the ground. It was composed of grass and 

 spiders' cocoons, covered externally with small specks of birch 



