376 



THE SP.OTTED FLYCATCHER. 



It is rather gregarious in its habits, generally associating in little 

 fl(jcks, and frequenting lofty trees and orchards, where it can obtain 

 abundance of food. 



The nest of tl) is bird is a very elegantly-formed and well-constructed 

 edifice, of a shallow cup-like shape, and usually placed in a horizontal 



fork of a convenient branch. 

 The materials of which it is 

 made are mostly delicate 

 grass-stems, interwoven with 

 wool so firmly that the whole 

 structure is strong and warm. 

 The eggs are generally four 

 or five in number, and their 

 color is purplish white, spar- 

 ingly marked with blotches of 

 a deep red and ashen gray. It 

 is believed that there is but 

 one brood in the year, so that 

 the species does not multiply 

 very rapidly. Sometimes the 

 bird is said to build a deep 

 and purse-like nest, which is 

 suspended from a forked 

 branch instead of being 

 placed upon it. 



The interesting family of 

 The Orchard Oriole. Flycatchers is composed of 



1. Female. 2, 3. Males of the second and third » large number of spCcicS, CX- 



years. 4. Male in complete plumage, a. Egg of tremelv Variable in size, form, 



the Orchard Oriole. 6. Egg of the Baltimore Oriole. j i rrn j- 



and color. I he average di- 

 mensions of these birds are about equal to those of a large sparrow, 

 and many are smaller than that bird, although two or three species 

 nearly ecjual the thrush in size. 



Tl»e Spotted Flycatcher has received several local names in al- 

 lusion to its habits, the titles Wall Bird and Beam Bird being those 

 by which it is most frequently designated. It is one of the migrating 

 birds, arriving in this country at a rather late season, being seldom seen 

 before the middle, or even toward the end, of May. 



This bird is fond of haunting parks, gardens, meadows, and shrub- 

 beries, always choosing those spots where flies are most common^ and 

 attaching itself to the same perch for many days in succession. When 

 the Flycatcher inhabits any place where it has been accustomed to live 

 undisturbed, it is a remarkably trustful bird, and permits the near ap 

 proach of man, even availing itself of his assistance. 



