CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 2. PAS SERES. 



123 



There are several species of Fly-Catcli- 

 ers familiarly known in the United 

 States ; the Phoebe-Bird or Pewee 

 Fly-Catcher, M. nunciola or M. fusca^ 

 visits us in summer from the south, its 

 favorite haunts being by streams of 

 water, under or near bridges, in caves, 

 <fec. Near such places he sits on a pro- 

 jecting twig, calling out, pe-wee, ^>f-?f'?7- 

 titee, x>6-ioee, for a whole morning ; dart- 

 ing after insects and returning to the 

 same twig ; frequently flirting his tail, 

 like the wagtail, though not so rapidly. 

 He is six and a half inches long, of a 

 dusky olive above, lower parts a delicate 

 yellow. On the top of the head the 

 feathers form a loose crest, which is 

 connnon to many of the family. Other 

 species are the Wood Pewee, M. raimx 

 or M. virens^ greatly resembling the 

 preceding : the Short-legged Pewee 

 Fly-Catcher, M. 2'>hoehe, a rare species, found in Labrador and the Fur Couiitries : the Green- 

 crested Fly-Catcher, M. querula, or M. acadica, a small species, keeping to the woods, and 

 little known : the Yellows-bellied Fly-Catcher, M. flavivcnfris, found on Long Island : the 

 Arkansas Fly-Catcher, M. vcrticalis — the chlouni-ish-pil of the Chinnooks — resembling the king- 

 bird in its habits, greenish-brown above and yellow beneath, with a bright red crest ; found on 

 the west of the Rocky Mountains : Cooper's Fly-Catcher, M. Cooperi, resembling the Pewees, 

 and found in the Atlantic States from Texas to Maine : the Rocky Mountain Fly-Catcher, M. 

 nigricans, seven inches long, dark sooty brown above and greenish-white below ; found in Califor- 

 nia and Mexico : Traill's Fly-Catcher, M. TrallU, resembling the wood pewee, found on the 

 Arkansas : the Least Pewee, M. imsilla, five inches long, found in Labrador and the fur coun- 

 tries : the Small-headed Fly-Catcher, M. minuta, found in the Southwestern States; and the 

 American Redstart, M. rutkilla, a very lively and handsome species, six and a half inches 

 long, variegated with red, brown and yellow ; found throughout the United States. 



THE PHOEBE BIRD. 



TBTE KING OP THE FLY-CATCHERS. 



The Savannah Fly-Catcher, M. Savana, is fourteen and a half inches long, including the tail. 



