AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 49 



GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 



A. O. I/. f<io. 4-52. (Myiarchuj criniluj.) 



RANGE. 



Eastern United States and southeastern Canada, west to the Missis- 

 sippi valley, south into Mexico and Central America. They breed 

 throughout their United States range. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, 9 inches; extent of wings, 13 inches; tail, 4 inches; eye, brown; 

 feet, dark; bill, broad, dark at tip, yellowish at base. General color above, 

 olive-gray. The inner webs of the tail feathers (except the two middle 

 ones are chestnut, as are the outer webs of the primaries. There is a 

 short crest on head. Throat light gray, changing to ashy gray on the 

 breast. Under oarts, pale yellow. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



The nest is always built in a cavity in a tree. They are not particu- 

 lar about the size or shape, and frequently use a deserted woodpecker's 

 nest. The nest is built of grass and straw, and frequently has feathers 

 in addition. A dried-up snake-skin generally enters into the construction. 

 The eggs are laid about the first week in June. They are four or five in 

 number. The ground color is buff, and the markings brown and purple. 

 It is one of the most handsome and strikingly marked eggs that we have. 



HABITS. 



This fly-catcher has the unen- his head up, down and sidewise, 



viable reputation of being the looking for any insect that may 



noisiest and most quarrelsome of all pass his way. Seeing one he 



birds. He certainly does like to dashes after it, catches it and 



hear his own voice, and while quickly returns to the same twig, 



perched on his favorite lookout is and is on the lookout for the next 



continually uttering his discordant victim. 



"waugh," followed by an amusing His greatest delight is in torment- 

 chuckle or whistle. His note can ing smaller birds. As soon as he 

 be heard when far away, and once perceives one of the latter, he is 

 heard will never be mistaken. after him, and snapping his broad 



What an odd looking figure he bill chases the poor bird over and 



makes as, perched on a dead twig under branches and around trees, 



of an apple tree, with tail hanging until he leaves his territory. How 



straight down, he constantly turns proudly he returns to his point of 



