OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 



i 



to approach without the least fear of being molested. Its 

 habits of feeding, in some particulars, resemble those of 

 Trail/it. It will perch upon a dead limb overhanging a 

 stream of water, or in an open field or garden upon a weed 

 or the fence, and await its prey with the most commendable- 

 patience. Its feeding is performed almost in silence, being 

 now and then interrupted by a -simple tu'it. 



Mr. Minot describes the song-note as being loud and un- 

 musical, and as delivered with emphasis. lie says it resem- 

 bles the syllables chebc.c. This song is often heard at night, 

 for a half hour together. Its other notes are a single ivhit. 

 and a few guttural and somewhat subdued exclamations, 

 which may be expressed by the syllables ivlteu, when* ^vheti. 



The food of this species consists mainly of beetles and 

 diptera. During its brief stav, we have only been able to 

 make a comparatively small inventory of its articles of food. 



Being less expert upon the wing than most of its congen- 

 eric relatives, much of its food is procured from the leaves 

 of trees, among which it devotes at least a portion of its time. 

 The few strictly terrestrial coleopters which we have noticed 

 in the stomachs which we have examined, convince us that 

 its habits are slightly terrestrial. Among the partially-di- 

 gested remains of insects, from several stomachs, have been 

 identified Cratonychus cinereus, C. pcrtinax* liar pal us 

 compar* If. carbonarius, Donacia conjluenta, Cymindis 

 mridipennis, Ptinus humeralis, Bostrichus pint, and Pla- 

 tynus cupripennis, among coleoptera ; and Tabanus lineola, 

 \hisca domes tica, and Stomoxys calcitrans. among diptera. 

 In one instance, a single specimen of Apis nicUijica was 

 noticed. 



A very thorough exploration of the rural portions of Phil- 

 adelphia, has satisfied us that it does not breed in our limits. 

 Naturally sociable in its ways, it would be likely to breed, if 

 at all, in places close by human habitations. Such has never 

 been observed to be the case. More sequestered localities 

 are certainly not chosen, as our frequent rambles through 



