300 SHORT-LEGGED PEWEE FLYCATCHER. 



Although it is very difficult to distinguish preserved skins of our 

 many plain-coloured Flycatchers, yet to one vpho has traversed the 

 woods, and listened to their voices, there is little difficulty in recog- 

 nising the sounds of any of them, for the cries of all are different, and 

 may be knovpn w^ith certainty, hovv^ever alike they may seem to one 

 w^ho has seldom heard them. The notes of the present species differ 

 from those of the Common Pewee, being as it were hoarse or harsh. 

 It never jerks up its tail, as is the common habit of that species, and in 

 this respect differs from all our Flycatchers. Again, Richardson's 

 Flycatcher, instead of standing on an eminence for an hour at a time, 

 as the Pewee does, pouring forth its ditty, is continually in motion ; 

 and never alights on rocks or the higher parts of trees, but keeps on 

 low bushes at all times. Its flight too is different, for instead of launch- 

 ing upward after its prey, it flies low, proceeding immediately over the 

 tops of the plants, from which it sweeps the insects before they are 

 aware of the presence or purpose of the little depredator that skippingly 

 passes over them. After this, it betakes itself to the tallest and rank- 

 est weed of the open space, whether a narrow valley, or the environs 

 of one of those small ponds so abundant in Labrador, and which in sum- 

 mer display a most luxuriant growth of aquatic plants. The Common 

 Pewee, on the contrary, which also breeds in that country, frequents 

 rocks and the tallest fir trees. 



Whilst in Labrador, I examined several nests of the Short-legged 

 Pewee, all of which were placed on low bushes, and almost as bulky as 

 those of the PipLrie Flycatcher, or about double the size of that of our 

 Common Pewee. They were all formed of a quantity of such dry mos- 

 ses as are commonly found hanging from the stems of all low bushes 

 in the vicinity of the places in which this species breeds, together with 

 feathers of the Eider Duck and Willow Grous. They were suspended 

 between the forks of two twigs, and in this respect resembled the nests of 

 the Orchard Oriole. The eggs varied from five to seven, measured six- 

 eighths of an inch in length, four-eighths in breadth, and instead of being 

 pure white, like those of the Pewee, were spotted nearly all over with 

 minute brown specks on a light bluish ground. On the 21st of July I 

 saw the first young on wing, and as at that time they were fully fledged, 

 I thought that even in that cold region, this species may perhaps breed 

 twice in the season. 



The migratory movements of this bird are very peculiar. I feel 



