SMALL GREEN CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 257 



to twenty feet above the ground, sometimes so low as to allow a man to 

 look into it. In some instances I have found it on the large horizontal 

 branches of an oak, when it looked like a knot. It is always neat and 

 WeU--finished, the inside measuring about two inches in diameter, with a 

 depth of an inch and a half. The exterior is composed of stripes of the 

 inner bark of various trees, vine fibres and grasses, matted together with 

 the down of plants, wool, and soft moss. The lining consists of fine grass, 

 a few feathers, and horse hair. The whole is light, elastic, and firmly 

 coherent, and is glued to the twigs or saddled on the branch with great 

 care. The eggs are from four to six, small, and pure white. While the 

 female is sitting, the male often emits a scolding chirr of defiance, and 

 rarely wanders far from the nest, but relieves his mate at intervals. In 

 the Middle States they often have two broods in the season, but in 

 Maine or farther north only one. The young follow their parents in the 

 most social manner ; but before these birds leave us entirely, the old and 

 the young form different parties, and travel in small groups towards 

 warmer regions. 



I have thought that this species throws up pellets more frequently 

 than most others. Its food consists of insects during spring and summer, 

 such as moths, wild bees, butterflies, and a variety of smaller kinds ; but 

 in autumn it greedily devours berries and small grapes. Although not 

 shy with respect to man, it takes particular notice of quadrupeds, follow- 

 ing a minx or polecat to a considerable distance, with every manifesta- 

 tion of anger. The mutual affection of the male and female, and their 

 solicitude respecting their eggs or young, are quite admirable. 



The flight of the Small Green Flycatcher is performed by short ghd- 

 ings, supported by protracted flaps of the wings, not unlike those of the 

 Pewee Flycatcher ; and it is often seen, while passing low through the 

 woods or following the margins of a creek, to drink in the manner of 

 swallows, or sweep after its prey, until it alights. Like the King Bjrd, 

 ii always migrates by day. 



MusciCAPA ACADicA, Ch. BonupaHe, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 68. 

 Small Green Crested Flycatcher, Muscicapa querula, Wih, Amer. Ornitb- 



voL ii. p. 77- pi. 13, fig. 3. 

 Small Pewee, Nuttall, Manual, pare. i. p. 288. 



Adult Male. Plate CXLIV. Fig. 1. 



Bill of ordinary length, depressed (much deeper than in M. Traillii), 

 tapering to a point, the lateral outlines a little convex ; upper mandible 



VOL. II. K, 



