192 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Habits. The Wood pewee inhabits orchards, shade trees, groves 

 and forests in all parts of the State. I have found it breeding in the 

 shade trees of lawns and in apple trees in the city back yard, as well as 

 in the midst of the Adirondack wilderness at a distance of only 4 miles 

 from the top of Mt Marcy. It selects a humble perch, usually one of 

 the lower limbs of a forest tree or an apple tree. Here it sits, occasionally 

 whistling its common note and giving chase now and then to the flying 

 insects which pass its station, returning again to the same perch after the 

 usual habit of its family. When slightly disturbed it utters a low "chit,'" 

 and when its nest is in danger flies about uttering a continual " chitter." 

 The nest is usually placed on a horizontal limb or a small fork at a height 

 of from 6 to 30 feet from the ground. The outside dimensions are 2.75 by 

 1.75 inches and the inside dimensions 1.75 by 1.25. It is constructed 

 of small twigs, rootlets and grass stalks neatly matted together, and over 

 the outside a coating of greenish and grayish lichens is invariably affixed. 

 The center of the nest is so loosely constructed that when it is placed in 

 the horizontal fork one may see through it from the ground. In general 

 appearance it resembles the hummingbird's nest, but is less downy and 

 not so deep in proportion to its size. The eggs are from 2 to 4 in number, 

 usually 3, of a creamy white color more or less heavily spotted, usually 

 in a wreath near the large end of the egg, with chestnut, claret brown, 

 rufous and lavender. They average about .72 by .54 inches in dimensions. 

 The period of incubation is usually 12 days and the young remain in the 

 nest for 10 days or 2 weeks after hatching. This flycatcher is not commonly 

 accused, like the Kingbird, of feeding upon the honey bees, but confines 

 its diet largely to injurious insects, although it occasionally takes some 

 of the beneficial Hymenoptera. 



