instance, upon his second visit, he found a skin ostentatiously displayed, whence he 

 conjectured that his first visit had alarmed the birds, and that they had subsequently pro- 

 vided tnemselves with the talisman and put it in place with a view to avert, if not a 

 recurrence of the intrusion, at least any danger as a result of it. The note of the bird is 

 harsh and unmusical. 



PLATE X1V.-PHCEBE. 



Sayornis phcebe. 



Head dark brown, with a slight erectile crest ; back and sides of 

 body dull olive-brown ; underparts soiled white with yellow tinges ; 

 wings and tail dusky, their feathers somewhat edged with lighter ; bill 

 and feet black. Length, 7 inches. 



Migratory. Arrives late in March, leaves late in October. It commonly builds its 

 nest under the eaves of buildings, or under a ledge of rock. 



Closely resembling the Phoebe in note, habits and appearance, is the WOOD PEWEE, 

 (Contopus wrens). Both the Phoebe and the Wood Pewee are flycatchers, and seize their 

 prey upon the wing. Both give utterance to a drawling, mournful note quite similar in 

 sound ; that of the Phoebe being slightly the more abrupt of the two, as pee-wit rather 



than pee-ee-wee-ee. 



85 



