Io6 Brewster oti the Birds of Western North Carolina. [January 



pine or hemlock, it sent its loud notes ringing over the neighboring 

 country. At Highlands several pairs were established, and apparently 

 preparing to breed, in a white pine swamp near the heart of the village. 

 A specimen shot here is identical with northern ones. I did not find the 

 species on the Black Mountains. 



32. Contopus virens. Wood Pewee. — In most of the extensive forests 

 visited, from the lower valleys to about 4000 feet, I occasionally heard 

 the sad, plaintive voice of the Wood Pewee. It was commonest in the 

 open woodlands about Highlands, but even here was not really numerous. 



33. Empidonax acadicus. Acadian Flycatcher. — Everywhere 

 below 3000 feet this Flycatcher was a very common species, inhabiting 

 all kinds of cover, but occurring most nimierously in rhododendron thick- 

 ets bordering streams, where its abrupt, explosive note of tvicky-np could 

 be heard at all times of the day. It is one of the tamest and least suspi- 

 cious of the small Flycatchers, but owing to its retiring disposition, and 

 habit of sitting perfectly motionless among the foliage, it is much oftener 

 heard than seen. 



34. Empidonax minimus. Least Flycatcher. — Of sparce, but at 

 the same time general, distribution, nowhere coinmon. Thus a day rareh' 

 passed without two or three being noted, while I do not remember ever 

 finding more than a pair in any one locality. They were usually met 

 with in scrubby oak growth near streams, and were invariably very noisy, 

 their notes and habits being precisely as at the North. The highest point 

 at which the species was seen was about 4000 feet, the lowest 2000. 



35. Corvus corax sinuatus. Raven. — Common almost everywhere 

 above 3000 feet, below which altitude it is replaced by the Crow (C. amer- 

 tcanus). Rather curiously, the two species do not seem to occur together 

 here, at least during the breeding season. At Highlands I was told that 

 the Ravens do not molest corn or other crops but are very destructive to 

 poultry, killing many young chickens and turkeys. I failed to secure a 

 specimen, but those which I saw living looked unusually large. Their 

 notes were precisely the same as at the North. They were frequently 

 met with in open oak woodland, and were usually pursued by Jays, 

 Robins, and other small birds. Swannanoa, the Indian name of the beau- 

 tiful little river that flows thi-ough Asheville, is said to signify "the swish 

 of the Raven's wing." 



36. Corvus americanus. Crow. — Common throughout the lower 

 portions of the region, but nowhere as numerous as at the North. 



37. Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. — Abundant everywhere, ranging 

 over the tops of even the higher mountains, where I often heard its shrill 

 voice among the balsams. It is most numerous, however, in open oak 

 woodland at mid-elevations. 



38. Agelaius phceniceus. Red-winged Blackbird — Apparently con- 

 fined to the lower vallevs. where every little meadow harbored a few 

 pairs. As meadows, even of small extent, are by no means numerous, 

 these Blackbirds were seen in only a few localities. 



39. Sturnella magna. Meadow Lark. — I heard of the Meadow 



