3I4 THE PHCEBE. 



cacy and clearness. It is supposed that the eggs of all hole-nesting species 

 revert to the uncolored form, viz., white, after the lapse of necessary ages, 

 there being no longer an economic value in color which is to remain unseen. 

 If this be true, then we must conclude that the Crested Flycatcher has only 

 recently hit upon the present method of departure from the family trait of open 

 air nesting. And this is more remarkable because the eggs of the genus 

 Myiarchus are more heavily colored than those of any other of the Tyrannidae. 

 The nesting of this species usually takes place in June. From three to 

 six eggs are laid, and incubation is completed in fourteen days. The young 

 are ready to leave the nest at the end of as many days more, and they remain 

 more or less closely associated with the parents at least until the time of the 

 southern journey, 'which is undertaken during the second or third week in 

 September. 



No. 138. 



PHCEBE. 



A. O. U. Xo. 456. Sayornis phoebe (Lath.). 



Synonyms. PEWIT ; PEWIT FLYCATCHER; PEWEE ; BRIDGE PEWEE. 



Description. Adults: Above, brownish-gray with an olivaceous cast, chang- 

 ing into brownish-dusky on top of head; wings and tail dusky, the former with 

 indistinct bars of brownish-gray and with some lighter olivaceous gray edgings 

 on the secondaries; below, pale sulphur-yellow, or whitish, sordid, and tinged 

 heavily on sides of breast with color of back ; bill and feet black. Immature 

 birds are rather brighter in coloration than adults, and have more prominent wing- 

 bars. Length 6.75-7.25 (171.5-184.2); wing 3.44 (87.4); tail 2.78 (70.6); 

 bill from nostril .40 (10.2). 



Recognition Marks. Sparrow size ; dull olivaceous above, becoming dusky 

 on head ; black bill ; "phcebe" note. To be distinguished from Contopus virens 

 by its larger size, less prominent wing-bars, and different bill the last being 

 longer, narrower, and darker than in the other bird. 



Nest, a thick-walled cup or bracket of moss and mud, lined with plant-down, 

 fine grasses and horse-hair; placed upon a beam or projecting corner of out-build- 

 ing, bridge, shale-bank, etc. Eggs, 4-6, white, unmarked, or, rarely, sparsely dot- 

 ted with reddish-brown. Av. size, .80 x .55 (20.3 x 14.). 



General Range. Eastern North America west to eastern Colorado and 

 western Texas, and from the British Provinces south to eastern Mexico and Cuba, 

 wintering from the South Atlantic and Gulf States southward. Breeds from 

 South Carolina northward. 



Range in Ohio. Common summer resident. 



THE chilly winds of March may have handed in their resignations, but 

 they have not yet been accepted by the Weather Bureau when Phcebe ventures 

 north. He was feasting on flies in Florida, and would have done well to wait 



