TYRANNIDJi: — THE FLYCATCHKRS. 879 



or ctnly as ii inif^rnnt lie could not iletermiiie. Mr. Dresser states that it is 

 common in tiie summer near San Antonio, arriving there in April. l>r. 

 Cones met it in its migrations through South Carolina. Dr. Turnbnll si)ealvS 

 of it as rare in the iieighljorhood ot rhilailel|)hia, where it arrives in the 

 middle of April on its way north. It has lieen i'ound throughout Eastern 

 Mexico and (Inatemala, and as I'ar .south as I'anama. 



Mr. Verrill regarded this sijccics as a summer resident ii- '''estern Maine, 

 though he never met with its nest, and at no time very connuon. Speci- 

 mens were procured between the last of May and the midille of June. It 

 was found, though very rare, by Mr. Mcllwrailh, at llaniilton, where it was 

 sn])])o.sed to be a summer resident. Specimens were taken about the midillo 

 of May. 



Dr. Hoy detected this sjjccies in the summer of 18G9, in the vicinity of 

 IJaeine, and although he had no doubt that they had a nest in the vicinity, 

 he was not able to discover it. He was surprised to find that the male of 

 this species has quite a ])retty song. This fact has since been confirnuHl liy 

 the observations of Mr. IVjardman, who has heard this bird give foith (juite 

 a pleasing, though somewhat monotonous trill. This, according to Dr. Hoy, 

 resembles Pea-imi/k-pea-v:ai/oc, several times repeated iu a soft and not un- 

 pleasant call or song. 



In Western ^lassachusctts ^Ir. Allen has found this sjieeies rather rare. 

 Those met with have all been taken from May 15 to June 5. Dr. Coue.-s, 

 in his List of the birds of Xew England, expresses his conviction that this 

 sjjecies is probably much less rare than collectors have generally supi)osed. 

 It harbors very closcdy in shady w<jods and thickets, and is very rarely to be 

 met with anywhere else. In the distance it is not easily distinguished from 

 other species of this genus, and may have been allowed to go unsought, 

 mistaken for a nuicli n.iore common species. 'Mr. Allen has generally met 

 with (piite a number each year in May, .sometimes several in a single excur- 

 sion. Mr. Maynanl took eight specimens in a few hours, May 31, in I'^astern 

 Massachusetts, and Mr. Welch obtained an unusual number in a single season. 

 Dr. Coues has also met with them near Washington during their breeding- 

 season. 



At (rrand Menan I found the nest of this species in a low alder-bu.sh, on 

 the edge of a thicket, but within a few feet of the shore. The ntjst was 

 about two feet from the ground, placed in the fork of the bush, and Itearing 

 a close rescMublance to the nest of the Vi/miospiza ci/coira. It was loosely 

 made of soft strips of the iinier bark of deciduous trees, and lined with 

 yellow stems of grasses. It was not largii for the liird, but the conspicuous 

 color of the materials at once betrayed the nest as we chanced to land within 

 a few feet of it. The female immediately .slid from it, and was not seen 

 again, but her mate was undisturbed by o>n' ])resence. Afterwards other 

 nests were obtained at Halifax, on the edge of swamjiy woods, made of 

 stubble, and placed in low bushes. All the eggs I obtained were white, of a 



