TYRANNID^ — THE FLYCATCHERS. 371 



in August, 1869, and in the townsliip of Newiy, Me., in June, 1871. Their 

 favorite haunts were the dense aider thickets along the runs and small 

 streams, over the.se dark retreats, perched on some tall dead branch, full in 

 the rays of the noonday sun. The male sang vigorously, occasionally 

 darting out after some in.sect, and returning to the same perch. His song 

 consisted of a single dissyllabic refrain, kciciiKj, uttered in a harsh peevish 

 tone at an interval of about thirty seconds, varied occasionally to he wliik, 

 or hi-wint'h. At each utterance his head is thrown upwards with a sudden 

 jerk. They were retiring, b>it not sliy, were easily approached, and were 

 apparently not so restless as most Flycatchers. 



Xear Washington, Dr. Coues found Traill's Flycatcher a rare .spring and 

 fall visitant, a few possibly remaining to breed. They came about the last 

 of April, and ])a.ssed south the last of September. Frofessor Baird freiiuently 

 met with them about Carlisle, ]'a. 



In Southern Illinois, Mr. Itidgway has found this .species a rather common 

 summer resident, chiefly met witli in the open woods. It was found nesting 

 in Nortinvestern ^lassachusetts by Mr. A. Hopkins, in Illinois by Mr. Tolman, 

 in Nesv Brunswick by Mr. ISarnstow, aiid at Fort Ilesolution by Messrs. 

 Keiniieott, Ross, and Lockhart. 



I have myself found this species on the banks of the Androscoggin 

 and Feabody Fivers in (lorliam, and met with several of their nests. 

 Tliey were all in similar situations, and it was quite impossible to obtain 

 a glimpse of the bird after she had left her nest. Tlie nests were all made 

 like those of the Indigo-Bird, e.xternally of dry grasses and fine strips of 

 bark, and lined with finer stems of grasses. The eggs were five in number, 

 and incubation commenced about the first of June. I have discovered their 

 nests at the same time among tl.e I'oot-hills at tiic base of Mount Washington, 

 its wo(jded sides being, at the time, covered with snow to the depth of 

 several feet. 



Among the memoranda of IMr. Kcnnicott I find one dated Fort Fesolution, 

 July !), mentioning the procuring of the parent nest and egg of this s])ecies. 

 The nest was tliree feet from the ground, in a small spruce among thick low 

 bushes. Tiie female was shot on the nest, which contained two young and 

 two eggs. Fggs of thii species from (iorham, N. H., and Coventry and 

 Fandolpii, Yt., do not essentially vary in size or shape. They measure 

 .63 of an inch in length, by .56 in breadth. Their ground-color is white, 

 with a distinctly roseate tinge. Tiiey are oval in shape, a little less obtuse 

 at one end, and marked almost entirely about the larger end with huge and 

 well-defined spots and blotches of purplish-brown. 



