FLYCATCHERS. 293 



The Wood Pewees, when perching, do not flirt their 

 tails in the manner of the Common Pewee, though they 

 sometimes move them, when nervously quivering their wings. 

 They usually choose a perch between ten and forty feet 

 above the ground, from which they sally, often snapping 

 up a dozen insects at a time. Although they fly quickly, 

 they are rarely on wing for more than a minute, 

 unless playing together and chasing one another through 

 the branches. They frequent almost exclusively woods 

 and groves, either of pines or deciduous trees, either dry 

 or swampy, and they rarely wander even to orchards. They 

 resort to wet places, chiefly in the evening, when they are, 

 perhaps, most active. The insects which abound near pools 

 of stagnant water afford them rich repasts, and opportunities 

 of displaying their adroitness to its best advantage. Au- 

 dubon says that "this species, in common with the Great 

 Crested Flycatcher, and the Least Wood Pewee, is possessed 

 of a peculiarity of vision, which enables it to see and pursue 

 its prey with certainty, when it is so dark that you cannot 

 perceive the bird, and are rendered aware of its occupation 

 only by means of the clicking of its bill." 



d. The Wood Pewees possess a sufficient variety of notes 

 to characterize several species. All these sounds are nearly 

 whistles, uttered in a plaintive and often a drawly tone. 

 None of them are loud, and many are audible only at a 

 very short distance. The most characteristic of these notes 

 is pee-u-ee, often abbreviated to pee-u, and this is frequently 

 repeated. Other syllables, less often heard, are (cA') pe-o-e, 

 whit, whit-pee, and pu pu pu pu uttered very softly. In ad- 

 dition to these there are certain querulous and guttural cries, 

 which are employed chiefly during the season of love. The 

 Wood Pewees become more or less silent in autumn, but I 

 have heard and seen them in the White Mountains so late 

 as the 17th of September. They usually leave Massachusetts 

 about the middle of that month. 



V. EMPIDONAX. 



A. PUSILLUS TRAILLII. TrailV s Flycatcher. Rare in 



