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THE BLUE-GREY FLY-CATCHER. 



Muse I CAP A C(ERULEA, WiLS. 

 PLATE LXXXIV. Male and Female. 



T}iis diminutive lively bird is rendered peculiarly conspicuous by its 

 being frequently the nurse or foster-parent of the young Cow Bunting, 

 the real mother of which drops her egg in its nest. A few individuals 

 of this species remain in Louisiana during spring and summer, and breed 

 there ; but the greater number proceed far eastward, and spread over the 

 United States, although they are not common in any part. 



The Blue-grey Fly-catcher arrives in the neighbourhood of New Or- 

 leans about the middle of March, when it is observed along the water- 

 courses, flitting about and searching diligently, amidst the branches of 

 the Golden Willow, for the smaller kinds of winged insects, devouring 

 amongst others great numbers of moschettoes. Its flight resembles that 

 of the Long-tailed Titmouse of Europe. It moves to short distances, vi- 

 brating its tail while on wing, and, on alighting, is frequently seen hang- 

 ing to the buds and bunches of leaves, at the extremities of the branches 

 of trees. It seldom visits the interior of the forests, in any portion of 

 our country, but prefers the skirts of woods along damp or swampy 

 places, and the borders of creeks, pools, or rivers. It seizes insects on 

 wing with great agility, snapping its bill like a true Fly-catcher, now 

 and then making little sallies after a group of those diminutive flies tljat 

 seem as if dancing in the air, and cross each other in their lines of flight, 

 in a thousand various ways. 



When it has alighted, its tail is constantly erected, its wings droop, 

 and it utters at intervals its low and uninteresting notes, which resemble 

 the sounds Tsee, Tsee. It seldom if ever alights on the ground, and 

 when thirsty prefers procuring water from the extremities of branches, 

 or sips the rain or dewdrops from the ends of the leaves. 



Its nest is composed of the frailest materials, and is light and small in 

 proportion to the size of the bird. It is formed of portions of dried 

 leaves, the husks of buds, the silky fibres of various plants and flowers, 

 and light grey lichens, and is lined with fibres of Spanish Moss or horse- 



