CHESTED FLYCATCHER. 



452. Myiarchus crinitus. 9 inches. 



These large flycatchers are very noisy in the 

 mating season, but their notes are rather more 

 musical than those of the Kingbirds. They ap- 

 pear to be of a quarrelsome disposition, for rarely will 

 more than one pair be found in a single piece of woods. 

 They also frequently chase smaller birds, but never 

 attack larger ones, as do the Kingbirds. They have a 

 queer habit of placing a piece of snakeskin in the hole 

 in which their nest is located, for what purpose, unless 

 to scare away intruders, is not known, but it seems to 

 be a universal practice. 



Notes. A clear whistle, "wit-whit," "wit-whit," re- 

 peated several times. This is the most common call; 

 they have many others less musical. 



Nest. Of straw, etc., in holes of dead limbs. Eggs 

 four to six in number; buffy white, streaked and 

 blotched with brown. 



Range. Eastern N". A. from the Plains to the At- 

 lantic, breeding north to southern Canada. 



