THE SULPHUR-BELLIED FLTCATCHEE. 259 



It resembles the eggs previously described in shape and ground color, but 

 the markings are somewhat brighter and lighter colored, and it measures only 

 24.89 by 19.56 millimetres, or 0.98 by 0.77 inch. The female parent, No. 

 23643, Brewster collection, was secured at the same time. 



95. Myiarchus crinitus (Linnaeus). 



CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 



Museicapa crinita LiNNiBUS, Systema Naturae, ed. 12, I, 1766, 325. 

 Myiarchus crinitus Lightenstein, Nouienclator Museo Berolinensis, 1851, 16. 

 (B 130, C 247, R 312, 373, U 452.) 



Geographical range: Eastern United States; north to the Provinces of New 

 Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, Dominion of Canada; west to Minnesota, 

 eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, eastern Indian Territory, and slightly beyond the eastern 

 half of Texas; south in winter through eastern Mexico to Panama and Colombia, South 

 America. 



The Crested or Great Crested Flycatcher is a common summer resident in 

 suitable localities throughout the eastern United States, and breeds from Florida 

 and the Gulf Coast northward, including' the southern portions of the Dominion 

 of Canada. The western limit of its breeding range in Texas extends some- 

 what beyond the eastern half of the State into Tom Green County, and thence 

 in a northeasterly direction to Minnesota and southern Manitoba. While the 

 majority of these birds pass beyond our borders in winter, not a few remain on 

 the Florida peninsula and the adjacent keys throughout this season, probably 

 birds from the extreme northern portions of their breeding range. The majority 

 reenter the United States between March 25 and April 10, moving leisurely 

 along, and usually arriving- on their breeding grounds in the Middle States about 

 the latter part of April, and correspondingly later farther northward. In north- 

 ern New York and thence west to Minnesota they are rarely noticed before the 

 middle of May. The return migration from their breeding grounds in the extreme 

 northern limits of their range commences in the latter part of August, and few 

 of these birds remain into September. 



The Crested Flycatcher, though not particularly rare along our northern 

 border, is far more common in our Middle and Southern States, though perhaps 

 not as often observed as its abundance would warrant. Its characteristic call 

 notes may generally be heard in any piece of woods containing some dead tim- 

 ber and situated not too far from water. During the mating- season it is one of 

 the noisiest of our Flycatchers, and its loud, ringing call notes can be heard cpiite 

 a distance. It utters a variety of sounds; the most common is a clear whistle 

 like " e-whuit-huit," or "wit- whit, wit- whit," repeated five or six times in a some- 

 what lower key, and varied to "whuir, whuree," or "puree," accompanied by 

 various turnings and twisting of the head. Its alarm note is a penetrating and 

 far-reaching "wheek, wheek," and it took me some time to make sure that it was 

 made by this species. I had previously attributed it to a Shrike; but one 



