254 ACADIAN FLYCATCHER 



Acadian Flycatcher : Empidonaz virescens. 



Upper parts olive green; throat white ; rest of under parts white, 

 washed with yellowish and greenish ; two conspicuous yellow- 

 ish white wing bars. Length, 5| inches. 



GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. Eastern United States; breeds 

 from Florida and Louisiana to southern Connecticut and south- 

 ern Michigan ; winters in West Indies and Central America. 



What distinction and flavor the discovery of a 

 new bird gives to a day in the woods, and how 

 the event is stamped in the memory ! I can recall 

 the very hour and spot when I saw my first 

 Acadian Flycatcher. It was in a delightful open 

 woods with straight, high, arching trees border- 

 ing a quietly sauntering stream in the Hudson 

 River valley. We were idly enjoying the May 

 beauty of the woods, when suddenly there came a 

 loud call of ' pe-ah-yuk'J and, before I could even 

 imagine what it was, my companion had disap- 

 peared up stream, and when I hurried after, was 

 absorbedly gazing at the little Acadian. The per- 

 former was perched on a low sapling over the 

 brook, just as the books say he does, and to my 

 great satisfaction repeated his call again and 

 again in most orthodox Acadian fashion, with bill 

 pointed to the sky and wings and tail shaking 

 all so perfectly in accord with the records one 

 might have imagined him on the witness stand to 

 testify to the customs of his family. 



