298 RED-EYED FLYCATCHER. 



wood or other small sapling. It is hung by the two upper edges, 

 seldom at a greater height than four or five feet from the ground. 

 It is formed of pieces of hornets' nests, some flax, fragments of 

 withered leaves, slips of vine bark, bits of paper, all glued to- 

 gether with the saliva of the bird, and the silk of caterpillars, 

 so as to be very compact; the inside is lined with fine slips of 

 grape vine bark, fibrous grass, and sometimes hair. These nests 

 are so durable that I have often known them to resist the action 

 of the weather for a year; and in one instance I found the nest 

 of the Yellow-bird built in the cavity of one of these of the pre- 

 ceding year. The mice very often take possession of them after 

 they are abandoned by the owners. The eggs are four, some- 

 times five, pure white, except near the great end, where they 

 are marked with a few small dots of dark brown or reddish. 

 They generally raise two broods in a season. 



The Red-eyed Flycatcher is one of the adopted nurses of the 

 Cow-bird, and a very favourite one, showing all the symptoms 

 of affection for the foundling, and as much solicitude for its safety, 

 as if it were its own. The figure of that singular bird, accompa- 

 nied by a particular account of its history, is given in Plate 

 XVIII of the present work. 



Before I take leave of this bird, it may not be amiss to observe 

 that there is another, and a rather less species of Flycatcher, 

 somewhat resembling the Red-eyed, which is frequently found 

 in its company. Its eyes are hazel, its back more cinereous than 

 the other, and it has a single light streak over the eye. The notes 

 of this bird are low, somewhat plaintive, but warbled out with 

 great sweetness; and form a striking contrast with those of the 

 Red-eyed Flycatcher. I think it probable that Dr. Barton had 

 reference to this bird when he made the following remarks. 

 See his "Fragments of the Natural History of Pennsylvania," 

 page 19. " Muscicapa olivacea. I do not think with Mr. 

 " Pennant that this is the same bird as the Whip-Tom-Kelly of 

 "the West Indies. Our bird has no such note; but a great va- 

 " riety of soft, tender and agreeable notes. It inhabits forests; 

 " and does not, like the West India bird, build a pendulous nest." 



