FLYCATCHERS. 291 



weeds, and a little moss. The eggs of each set are usually 

 five,* average about .85 X .65 of au inch, and in Massachu- 

 setts are laid in the second week of June. They are white, 

 or creamy, spotted with lilac and reddish brown. 



c. The Olive-sided Flycatchers may be classed among 

 those birds who, at least in Massachusetts, are neither rare 

 nor common. They reach this State about the middle of May, 

 and leave it in September. They may more often be found 

 among evergreens than any other of their tribe, and most often 

 occur in orchards or among pines. They are expert flycatch- 

 ers, and have the habit of selecting a post, frequently a dead 

 stump or decayed limb, to which they continually return. In 

 common with other members of their family, they have a 

 quarrelsome disposition, in consequence of which they often 

 engage in broils, even among themselves. They are, however, 

 no more gregarious than other Flycatchers. 



d. Their notes possess the tone which largely characterizes 

 this family of birds. Sometimes they are merely querulous 

 whistles, like pu-pu-pu (often somewhat lengthened), and at 

 other times form a distinct song-note, " eh phebee, or A' phe- 

 bea, almost exactly in the tone of the circular tin whistle or 

 bird call, being loud, shrill, and guttural* at the commence- 

 ment." (Nuttall.) These notes are subject to marked varia- 

 tions, which I find it impossible to describe satisfactorily. 



B. VIRENS. Wood Pewee. In Massachusetts, a common 

 summer resident.! 



a. Six inches long or more. Tail, forked ; crown-feathers, 

 erectile. Bill, black above only. Wings, always with two 

 narrow whitish bars. Otherwise the coloration is essentially 

 that of the Common Pewee (III). (See p. 286.) 



* The usual number is three, but t The Wood Pewee breeds through- 

 sets of four are not uncommon. On out New England, arriving late in 

 the other hand, the bird sometimes lays spring and departing early in autumn, 

 only one or two. None of the numer- It is a rather common bird in most 

 ous nests which I have found or localities, but about Boston its num- 

 seen in the possession of other collec- bers have been slowly but steadily 

 tors have contained more than four diminishing for the past ten or fifteen 

 3. W. B. years. W. B. 



