Plate XIX. 



Fig. 2. CONTOPUS VIRENS~Wood Pewee. 



The time of arrival and departure of this species is about the same as that of the j^receding. In 

 mild seasons the nest may be built the last of May, but June is the usual month in which the cares of 

 housekeeping begin. It is probable that two broods of young are often hatched, I have not, however, 

 determined this Avith certainty. 



LOCALITY: 



The Wood Pewees are fond of quiet and solitude, but they do not habitually resort to the dense 

 woods so dear to the Acadian Flycatchers. As a rule, the nest is built in a large tree, in the interior 

 or about the border of a wood, on the bank of a stream, or by a roadside, but it may be placed in 

 any suitable tree in almost any locality. Frequently they come into town and build in apple-trees, pear- 

 trees, and shade-trees. In the country, oak and hickory-trees furnish the majority of nesting-sites. 



POSITIOF: 



Ordinarily the nest is situated either on the upper surface of a limb, or in a horizontal fork. Occa- 

 sionally it is placed among a number of irregular branches. The limb in the first instance is, I believe, 

 never quite as large in diameter as the nest, and is generally covered more or less with lichens. When 

 the nest is in a fork, the supporting branches are rarely less than half an inch in diameter. If the 

 angle formed is small, the nest is built as when upon a single limb, but if the angle is large, as is fre- 

 quently the case, it is let down between the branches so that the rim pi'ojects little if any above them. 

 Dead as well as living limbs are chosen for the site. The distance from the ground varies from six to 

 forty feet. 



MATERIALS : 



Slender or split grasses, weed-fibres, fine weed-stems, narrow strips of grapevine-bark, and pieces of 

 moss-fibres, in various proportions, form the nest proper. Ordinarily, fine round grass and split blue- 

 grass are the principal materials. Exteriorly the nest is covered with pieces of lichen, which are held 

 in position by web, and the Avhole is secured to the limb by an entanglement of web and lichen with 

 the bark. The diameter of the cavity varies from 1.80 to 2.25 inches, avei'age about two inches; 

 depth of cavity averages about .75. The wall of the nest at the rim is from .25 to .75 of an inch. 

 The limb upon which it rests frequently forms the bottom, with no covering, but if it is in a fork the 

 wall through the bottom may be .75 of an inch. 



EGGS: 



The complement of eggs is generally four. They measure from .65 to .79 in long-diameter, and 

 from ,50 to .59 in short-diameter. The largest egg before me is .79 x .59; the smallest .65 x .54. The 



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