Family Tyrannidcz Wood Peivee 135 



cry, resembling the syllables che-bec. Song ceases 

 in the neighborhood of New York in late June or 

 early July, and appears not to be resumed. 



76. WOOD PEWEE (Contopus virens.) 



Upper parts olivaceous ; wings and tail dusky, wing with two 

 white bars ; under parts in general yellowish white ; forebreast 

 and sides of belly tinged with grayish. Beak broad, flat, upper 

 mandible dark, lower one usually yellow ; feet black. Bird dis- 

 tinctly smaller than a sparrow. Sexes similar. 



A little bird in suit 

 Of sombre olive, soft and brown, 

 Perched in the maple branches mute ; 

 With greenish gold its vest -Was fringed, 

 Its tiny cap was ebon-tinged, 

 With ivory pale its wings -were barred, 

 And its dark eyes were tender-starred. TROWBRIDGE. 



THIS plaintive little creature comes to us only in 

 the latter part of May, and leaves again in early 

 September. He is to be sought entirely in woods, 

 either dry or swampy, but is most likely to be 

 found in the evening in the neighborhood of wooded 

 pools and lakes, which afford an abundance of the 

 flying insects upon which he feeds. When once 

 discovered he may be conveniently studied, owing 

 to his habit of returning day after day to the same 

 place at about the same time. He has the usual 

 flycatcher habit of selecting a post of observation 



