74 



FLYCATCHERS— MOURNING TURTLE, OR CAROLINA DOVE. 



that had been debarred the essential duties of incubation earlier in 

 the season, since this desire is so innate as to be foregone with diffi- 

 culty. — Gentry, 



Traill's Flycatcher. (Empidonax trailing 



Fig. 4. 



It requires great care to distinguish this bird from the Least Fly- 

 catcher and the Green-crested Flycatcher, their plumage being 

 very similar, as are also their habits. Naturalists, who make orni- 

 thology a study, have been very much confused and mistaken in 

 their descriptions of this species. It is said to be entirely with- 

 drawn from the United States during the fall season, and to winter 

 in Central America. According to eastern ornithologists, it breeds 

 in their section. Maynard says : " This species has a peculiar note, 

 like the syllables ' ke-ivirtk' '; this is not so quickly given as the 

 * se-widk'' of E. minimus, and is somewhat harsher. There is, 

 perhaps, thirty seconds interval between each « ke--wirtk? The 

 birds, while singing, were perched on the top of a low alder. It 

 appears to frequent these thickets, generally by the side of streams.'* 

 Of its nest-building, Mr. Merriman gives the following account: 

 " This western race of E. traillii was very common in the Salt 

 Lake valley, where I collected seven specimens and three nests. 

 They build a neat, compact little nest, which they place in the 

 fork of a rose or other small bush, about five feet above the 

 ground. It is composed of fibrous grasses, flax, wool, and other 

 soft substances, interwoven with a few leaves of swamp-grass. It 

 is a curious fact that this bird places all the wool and other soft, 

 downy substances on the outside of its nest, lining it with the rough 

 stalks of dry grass." Coues says: "The eggs of this species 

 (traillii'), to judge from numerous specimens before me, may be 

 distinguished from those of acadicus in lacking much or all of the 

 creamy tinge of the latter, and in the markings being, for the most 

 part, large, bold, and blotched, rather than sharply dotted. The 

 fact that the eggs are colored instead of colorless, at onca distin- 

 guishes them from those of E. minimus, and is a point to be re- 

 garded in discussing the specific relationship of the two." 



Pewit Flycatcher, or Phoebe-bird. (Sayomis fuscus.) 

 Fig. 5- 



A faithful and familiar messenger of spring, that may be met 

 with in most parts of the continent of North America, wintering 

 in the Southern States, into Mexico. It is one of the earliest vis- 

 itors, reaching Canada early in April. On their first arrival they 

 frequent the woods, but their favorite resort is in the neighborhood 

 of streams, ponds, or stagnant waters, about bridges, caves, and 

 barns — their favorite breeding-places. Nuttall says : " Near such 

 places our little hunter sits on the roof of some out-building, on a 

 stake of the fence or on a projecting branch, calling out, at short 

 intervals, and in a rapid manner, phebe phebe; and at times in a 

 more plaintive tone, phee-be-ee. This quaint and querulous note, 

 occasionally approaching to a warble, sometimes also sounds like 

 pewait pewait, and then pe-wai-ee, also phebe phe-bee-ee, twice 

 alternated, the latter phrase somewhat soft and twittering. In the 

 spring, this not unpleasing guttural warble is kept up for hours to- 

 gether, until late in the morning, and though not loud, may be 

 heard to a considerable distance." Audubon's beautiful description 

 of the habits of this bird is one of his best efforts. We copy the 

 following : 



"The flight of the Pewee Flycatcher, is performed by a flut- 

 tering, light motion, frequently interrupted by sailings. It is slow 

 when the bird is proceeding to some distance, rather rapid when 

 in pursuit of prey. It often mounts perpendicularly from its perch 

 after an insect, and returns to some dry twig, from which it can see 

 around to a considerable distance, It then swallows the insect whole, 



unless it happens to be large. It will at times pursue an insect to 

 a considerable distance, and seldom without success. It alights 

 with great firmness, immediately erects itself in the manner of 

 Hawks, glances all around, shakes its wings with a tremulous mo- 

 tion, and vibrates its tail upward as if by a spring. Its tufty crest 

 is generally erected, and its whole appearance is neat, if not ele- 

 gant. The Pewee has its particular stands, from which it seldom 

 rambles far. The top of a fence-stake near the road is often se- 

 lected by it, from which it sweeps off in all directions, returning at 

 intervals, and thus remaining the greater part of the morning and 

 evening. The corner of the roof of the barn suits it equally well, 

 and if the weather requires it, it may be seen perched on the highest 

 dead twig of a tall tree. During the heat of the day it reposes in 

 the shade of the woods. In the autumn it will choose the stalk of 

 the mullen for its stand, and sometimes the projecting angle of a 

 rock jutting over a stream. It now and then alights on the ground 

 for an instant, but this happens principally during winter, or while 

 engaged during spring in collecting the materials of which its nest 

 is composed, in our Southern States, where many spend their time 

 at this season. 



" The nest is rather large for the size of the bird. It is composed 

 of roots, mosses, grasses, and hairs, and the whole put together 

 against the object built on, by well-mixed mud, and is lined with 

 soft grasses, wool, and feathers. The eggs, usually five in number, 

 are white, and have a delicate cream tint. A few of the eggs 

 have reddish-brown spots scattered over the larger end. The 

 length of this species is six and a half inches, and its breadth is 

 nine and a half inches." 



The Mourning Turtle, or Carolina Dove. (Zencedura carolinensis.) 



Fig. 6. 



A beautiful and familiar bird, that is very abundant throughout 

 the temperate parts of North America. Wilson says : " This is a fa- 

 vorite bird with all those who love to wander among our woods in 

 spring, and listen to their varied harmony. They will there hear 

 many a singular and sprightly performer, but none so mournful as 

 this. The hopeless coo of settled sorrow, swelling the heart of fe- 

 male innocence itself, could not assume tones more sad, more tender, 

 and affecting. Its notes are four (dgh coo coo coo) ; the first is some- 

 what the highest, and preparatory, seeming to be uttered with an in- 

 spiration of the breath, as if the afflicted creature were just recovering 

 its voice from the last convulsive sobs of distress ; this is followed by 

 three long, deep, and mournful moanings, that no person of sensi- 

 bility can listen to without sympathy. A pause of a few minutes 

 ensues, and again the solemn voice of sorrow is renewed as before. 

 This is generally heard in the deepest shaded parts of the woods, 

 frequently about noon and toward the evening. There is, however, 

 nothing of real distress in all this ; quite the reverse. The bird 

 who utters it wantons by the side of his beloved partner or invites 

 her by his call to some favorite, retired, and shady retreat. It is 

 the voice of love, of faithful connubial affection, for which the 

 whole family of Doves are so celebrated ; and, among them all, 

 none more deservingly so than the species now before us. 



" On their return to the North in March, and early in April, 

 they disperse so generally over the country that there are rarely 

 more than three or four seen together — most frequently only two. 

 Here they commonly fly in pairs ; resort constantly to the public 

 roads to dust themselves, and procure gravel ; and are often seen 

 in the farmer's yard before the door, the stable, barn, and other out- 

 houses, in search of food, seeming little inferior in familiarity at 

 such times to the domestic Pigeon. They often mingle with the 

 poultry while they are fed in the morning ; visit the yard and ad- 

 joining road many times a day, and the pump, creek, horse- 

 trough, and rills for water. Their flight is quick, vigorous, and 

 always accompanied by a peculiar whistling of the wings, by 



