THE OOLOGIST. 



41 



look and the easy life it may then lead, 

 whether chasing beetles in the sunshine 

 or swinging on a bending mullein 

 stalk." 



The Phoebe or Pewit [Sayornis phcebe) 

 is the most familiar of the family. Its 

 comparatively fearless disposition and 

 characteristic habits render it so. It 

 frequents somewiiat open ground, where 

 insects are abundant, generally near a 

 pond or stream ; where, ''perching on 

 the branch of an overhanging tree, or 

 on the railing of a bridge, or darting 

 about in different directions, it busies 

 itself through the day in catching the 

 insects that swarm in myriads in such 

 localities." 



Its note is rather harsh and querulous, 

 resembling the word ^;Ace-6e; the first 

 syllable is smooth, the second rough 

 and broken. Besides this common call- 

 note, they are said to have during the 

 love-season "a low twittering song with 

 which they entertain their mates, but 

 which is heard only when the birds are 

 in company, and then only for a brief 

 season." 



Last but least, since it is the largest 

 of the whole family, comes the Great- 

 crested Plycatcher [Myiarc/ius crinilus). 

 It is a rather rare and local bird; and 

 both for this reason, and also because 

 it leads a "wild, sky, and solitary life," 

 is less often seen than the moi*e abun- 

 dant members of the same family. It 

 is much oftener heard than seen; being 

 at once recognized by its characteristic 

 notes— one a harsh outcry of one syll- 

 able, in a high key; and others sounded 

 in a guttural tone two or three times. 

 It is said that this nearly (r quite fails 

 in July or early August, and, the note is 

 then single, faint, and somewhat mourn- 

 ful. 



()pious seem to differ concerning its 

 being quarrelsome. All who say any- 

 thing about it admit that it is just as 

 brave iu defending its nest as the rest; 

 but some say that it does not seem to 

 always have a quarrel on hand, like its 



cousin the Kingbird; while others say 

 that it does, and has many of the pecul- 

 iarities of that bird. As for myself, I 

 favor the former opinion; but as the 

 Great-crested is to me the favorite mem- 

 ber of the family, my opinion may be a. 

 biased one. 



Geo. Roberts, Jr., 

 Hartford, Conn.. 



Towhee's Nest "Off the Ground." 



Dear Editor: 



Is the finding of a Towhee's nest, "off 

 the ground" too common an occun-ence 

 to be recorded in the Oologist? 



June 5, 1896, I found a nest two feet 

 up in a mass of tangled blackberry 

 briers. I worked my way toward it, 

 and merely glancing at the contents, 

 said to myself, "Yellow-breasted 

 Chat's." Before I had freed myself 

 from the briers a female Towhee ap- 

 peared and showed much uneasiness as 

 if she had a nest near. Retiring to 

 watch her, I was surprised to find her 

 the owner of the nest I had just left. 

 A moment later the three eggs were in 

 my possession, where careful examina- 

 tion showed a faint bluish tinge in the 

 ground-color and not glossy — therefore 

 leaving no doubt as to their not being 

 Chats', had no bird been seen. Mark- 

 ings very dark, far from having the 

 "pinkish cast." C. Piper Smith, 

 Anderson, Ind. 



A Correction. 

 In my article, "Maryland Birds that 

 interest the Sportsman," published in 

 The Oologist, March-April, 1894, 1 had 

 Clien hyperbora, whereas it should have 

 read, Chen Jiyperbo7'ea nivalis (Forst). 

 Greater Snow Goose. 



Wm. H. Fisher, 

 Baltimore, Md. 



Ripans Tabules cure dyspepsia. 

 Ripans Tabules cure headache. 



