366 HISTORY OF THE 



resemble the Phoebe, but differ much in habits, preferring the 

 gloomy forests to the habitations of man. 



Their food consists chiefly of beetles and flies, which they are 

 very expert in catching; darting from their perch, they capture 

 here and there several insects before returning, and accompany 

 each capture with a snap of their bill. They are the most active 

 during the early part of the day and late at eve. A rather rest- 

 less bird, that, on its perch, often slightly raises its feathers with 

 a quivering motion of the wings and tail, uttering its oft-repeated, 

 sad, though pleasing, "Pe-r-wee." They are quite common in 

 suitable localities throughout their range, breeding from near 

 the Gulf coast northward, and wintering almost wholly south of 

 the United States. 



Their nests are saddled on the lower branches of trees, from 

 eight to twenty-five feet from the ground. 



They are composed of fine stringlets, lint-like fibers, rootlets 

 and bits of cobwebs, the outside coated over with mosses and 

 lichens glued to the material with saliva a beautiful cup- 

 shaped nest. Eggs three to five, .73x. 52; cream white, spotted 

 and blotched with lilac purple to dark reddish brown, chiefly at 

 and running together around the larger end; in form, ovate. 



Contopus richardsonii (SWAINS.). 



WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 

 PLATE XXIV. 



A summer resident in the western part of the State; rare. 

 Arrive about the middle of May; begin laying the last of May 

 to first of June; return in September. 



B. 138. K. 321. C. 383. G. 157, 176. U. 462. 



HABITAT. Western North America; north to British Colum- 

 bia (Manitoba. Setori)\ east to western Nebraska and Texas; 

 south in winter through Mexico to Costa Rica. 



SP. CHAR. " General appearance of C. virens. Bill broad. Wings very long 

 and much pointed, considerably exceeding the tail; second quill longest; third 

 a little shorter; first shorter than fourth, and about midway between distance 

 from second to fifth (.60 of an inch). Primaries 1.20 inches longer than second- 

 aries. Tail moderately forked. Above, dark olive brown (the head darker); 

 the entire breast and sides of head, neck and body of a paler shade of the same, 

 tinging strongly also the dull whitish throat and chin. Abdomen and under 



