154 



Birds of Pennsylvania. 



woods, and remains until, occasionally, as late as the first of October. 

 The note as described by Dr. Coues is^ low 8oilpe-a, uttered slowly. 

 The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is lidmlly seen perched on the low 

 limbs of trees or bushes, along the borders of streams or ponds in the 

 woods, I have never observed it on the high branches of trees. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Gentry it is occasionally observed on the ground, in 

 active pursuit of insects, which contribute to its bill-of-fare. In the 

 lew examinations which I have made of this species the following 

 insects were found : 



465. Empidonax acadicus (Gmel.). 



Acadian Flycatchei'. 



Description. 



The upper parts, with sides of the head and neck, olive-green, the crown very little 

 if any darker ; a yellowish-white ring around the eye ; the sides of the bod^' under 

 the wings like the back, but fainter olive, a tinge of the same across the breast ; the 

 chin, throat, and middle of the belly white ; the abdomen, lower tail and wing cov- 

 erts, and sides of the body not covered by the wings, pale greenish-yellow ; edges 

 of the first primary, secondaries, and tertials margined with dull yelloMish-white, 

 most broadlj^ on the latter ; two transverse bands of pale-yellowish across the wings, 

 formed by the tips of the secoudarA^ and primary coverts, succeeded by a brown one; 

 tail light-brown, margined externallj^ like the back ; upper mandible light-brown 

 above, pale-yellow beneath. In autumn the lower parts are more yellow; iris 

 brown. 



Length about 6 inches; extent about 9 inches. 



7/a6.— Eastern United States, chieflj^ southward, west to the plains, south to Cuba 

 and Costa Rica. 



For a period of about five months, or from early in May until late 

 in September, the Acadian Flj^catcher is a common resident in Penn- 

 sylvania, frequenting chiefly woodlands. This species is somewhat 

 shy and difficult to approach, and like the Cuckoo or Yellow-breasted 

 Chat, is oftener heard than seen. The shallow, saucer-shaped and 

 loosely-made nest, is placed usually on a drooping and forked branch 

 of a tree in the forest, a dog-wood, beech or hickory generally being 

 selected. It is composed of blossoms, grasses, fine rootlets or fine 

 pieces of bark. The majority of nests which I have found in the 

 vicinity of West Chester, Pa., were built entirely of blossoms. The 

 nests are rarely more than eight or ten feet from the ground, and are 

 so open at the bottom that the eggs can readily be seen from below. 



