Birds of Canada. 29 



Myiarchus crinitus. The Great-crested Fly- 

 catcher. 



This bird arrives in Canada about the middle 

 of May. The nest is placed in a hollow tree or 

 stub, and nearly always contains the cast-off skin 

 of a snake, which is coiled at the bottom ; eggs, 

 four, of a dull cream color, scratched with purple 

 lines. Feeds upon insects. The general color 

 of this bird is dull greenish-olive above ; under 

 parts, bright sulphur-yellow ; head, well defined 

 crest. Departs for the south first of September. 



Sayornis fuscus. The Phebe Bird. 



This very common bird is too well known to 

 need a description. It arrives from the south 

 about the last of March, and departs the last of 

 October. 



Contopus vircns. The Wood Pewee. 



This is a common summer resident of Canada. 

 It arrives here about the twentieth of May. Gen- 

 eral color, dark olive brown ; the lower parts, 

 pale-yellow. This bird loves the dark quiet 

 retreats of the forests. Here, sitting upon a 

 branch, it may be seen watching for insects, 

 uttering its low melancholy notes. Nests, in a 

 tree; eggs, four or five; light-yellow, spotted- 

 with red on the large end. 



