EMPID ON AX FLA VI VENTRIS. 193 



found that there was no trace of either division of the broncho-trachealis, as I consider 

 this an important muscle in producing a variety of melodious sounds. 



Tlu' Yellow-bellied Flycatchers spend the summer in the forests of the more northern 

 New Kngland States, frequenting the swamps which are thickly covered with small larch 

 and hemlock trees. Here they are perfectly at home but are as retiring in habit as I 

 have described them during the spring migrations and, were it not for the peculiar ke-lick 

 which is occasionally heard, they would pass unnoticed. When I was at Lake Umbagog 

 in June, 1878, I was confident that several pairs which I observed, had nests in the im- 

 mediate vicinity but could not find them, and a few seasons later I searched in vain for the 



Mil at (Jrand Menan and further north in New Brunswick. As the nests had been 

 described by authors as being placed in trees or bushes, my search was confined to the hem- 

 locks, larches, etc. and consequently was always unsuccessful. But my friends,' Messrs. 

 Purdie and Deane, were more fortunate and during the past summer, 1878, succeeded in 

 procuring a nest which was placed under the shelter of the roots of an upturned tree, much 

 after the manner employed by the Bridge Pewee. This was obtained at Iloulton, Maine, 

 and on June fifteenth, the nest contained one egg; three days later, the entire set of four 

 was deposited. Mr Purdie informs me that the structure was very pretty, especially when 

 he first saw it as then the bird was sitting upon the nest and she appeared to be sucken in 

 a ball of green moss. The female was not at all shy for she was approached within two 

 feet before she darted off. An excellent account of this episode is given by Mr. Purdie 

 in the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club for October, 1878, and is written with 

 the conscientious care so characteristic of the author. I found the Yellow-bellied Fly- 

 catchers as late as the first of June in the swamps of Pennsylvania and obtained birds in 

 the nestling plumage the last week in August, so judge that they may breed there, They 

 migrate early, leaving New England during the latter part of August, but they linger in 

 Pennsylvania until the first of October when they shortly after disappear. 



ORDER II, ALCEDINI. KINGFISHERS. 



Sternum with four marginal indentations, the two outer of which are quite deep but the 

 inner arc shallow. Bill, long and stout, with a deep gape. 



This order is characterised not only as described above, but by the long and pointed 

 wings and stout form. It will be seen that I have entirely discarded the old order, Scan- 

 sores, as the characters presented by the members usually placed in this group are so 

 incongruous that I see no way of arranging them naturally and, in order to be perfectly 

 consistent, have raised the groups hitherto considered as sections or families, to the rank 

 of Orders. 



FAMILY I. CERYLID^E. THE CRESTED KINGFISHERS. 



Head, crested. The sexes differ in markings. Legs, short. Two outer toes, joined at 

 the base. 



WKDS of FLORIDA. 25 



