SPECIES 5. MUSCICAPtf QUERULA.* 



SMALL GREEN, CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 



[Plate XIII. Fig. 3.] 



Muscicapa subviridis, BARTRAM, p. 289. Arct . Zool. p. 386, JVo. 

 268. PE ALE'S Museum, JVo. 6825. 



THIS bird is but little known. It inhabits the deepest, thick 

 shaded, solitary parts of the woods, sits generally on the lower 

 branches, utters every half minute or so, a sudden sharp squeak, 

 which is heard a considerable way through the woods; and as it 

 flies from one tree to another has a low querulous note, some- 

 thing like the twitterings of chickens nestling under the wings 

 of the hen. On alighting this sound ceases; and it utters its note 

 as before. It arrives from the south about the middle of May; 

 builds on the upper side of a limb, in a low swampy part of the 

 woods, and lays five white eggs. It leaves us about the begin- 

 ning of September. It is a rare and very solitary bird, always 

 haunting the most gloomy, moist and unfrequented parts of the 

 forest. It feeds on flying insects; devours bees; and in the sea- 

 son of huckle-berries they form the chief part of its food. Its 

 northern migrations extend as far as Newfoundland. 



The length of this species is five inches and a half, in breadth 

 nine inches; the upper parts are of a green olive colour; the 

 lower pale greenish yellow, darkest on the breast; the wings 

 are deep brown, crossed with two bars of yellowish white, and 

 a ring of the same surrounds the eye, which is hazel. The tail 

 is rounded at the end; the bill is remarkably flat and broad, 

 dark brown above, and flesh colour below; legs and feet pale 

 ash. The female differs little from the male in colour. 



* Muscicapa acadica, GMEL. i, p. 947. LATH. Ind. Orn. n, p. 489. 



