Plate LIV. 



Fig. 7. MY/ARCHUS GRINIJUS-Great Crested Flycatcher, 



This species is the largest of the Flycatcher family inhabiting Ohio, and is one of our most interest- 

 ing birds. It arrives the latter part of April, and remains through the second week of September, or a 

 week or two later if the weather is exceptionally tine. It is not so numerous as the Acadian Flycatcher, 

 still it is plentiful in all wooded districts. It is very noisy, uttering at frequent intervals, daring the 

 mating season, a loud, harsh cry, and, being shy and retired in disposition, it is much oftener heard than 

 seen. The nest is built early in June, and but one brood is reared during the season. 



LOCALITY: 



The nest is usually placed in a hollow, horizontal limb, or in the decayed trunk of a low tree in 

 rather open woods. In town, and about country dwellings, an apple-tree is the favorite site. Some- 

 times a deserted Woodpecker-hole, a bird-box, or a crevice in an old stump is selected. Dr. Wheaton 

 has seen the Great Crested Flycatcher forcibly expel a pair of Bluebirds from their home, break and 

 throw out their eggs, and take possession of the premises. 



POSITION : 



The nest is placed on the horizontal floor of the cavity, often several feet from the opening. When 

 in a hollow limb it is seldom over fifteen feet from the ground, between seven and ten being the usual 

 distance. 



MATERIALS : 



The size and shape of the nest vary with the dimensions of the cavity in which it is placed, and 

 the materials of construction vary considerably even in the same locality. Nearly every available sub- 

 stance is at times used; weed-stems, grass, leaves, feathers, hair, rootlets, moss, vegetable-down, strings, 

 rags, paper, and bits of cast-off snake-skins, being found in various proportions in different nests. Leaves, 

 rootlets, grass, and weed-stems generally make up the foundation and superstructure, and feathers and 

 hair, or grass and fine fibres compose the lining. The most constant substance is the cast-off snake-skin. 

 Every one who has described this nest mentions having found more or less snake-skin, and I have never 

 seen or heard of a nest that did not contain it, It is commonly placed about the rim in little pieces, 

 but it sometimes occurs in large sheets and in wrinkled sections in various parts of the structure. The 

 object which the birds have in using this singular and apparently useless substance can only be conject- 

 ured. 



EGGS : 



The complement of eggs varies from four to six ; the most frequent number is, perhaps, five. They meas- 



189 



