FLYCATCHERS {169 



Many are familiar with the melancholy notes of this 

 little bird, but perhaps half of the casual observers are per- 

 sonally unacquainted with the author. The sad, sweet, 

 prolonged note, " pee-wee-peer," is uttered at various times 

 throughout the day. " His pensive, gentle ways are voiced 

 by his sad, sweet call, * pee-a-wee.' The notes are as musical 

 and restful, as much a part of Nature's hymn, as the soft 

 humming of a brook. All day long the pewee sings; even 

 when the heat of summer silences more vigorous birds, and 

 the midday sun sends light-shafts to the ferns, the clear, 

 sympathetic notes of the retiring songster come from the 

 green canopy overhead, in perfect harmony with the peace 

 and stillness of the hour." (Chapman.) 



These little birds feed largely upon insects, hence are of 

 great economical value. They are decidedly partial to warm 

 weather, not arriving from the South until May, when the 

 foliage is quite dense and the damp woodlands and shady 

 groves abound in minute insect life. 



When making his first observations of birds the writer 

 found the Wood Pewees common in the apple orchards 

 about the Great Lakes region. The nests are usually cun- 

 ningly concealed on low horizontal branches. Moss and 

 lichens gathered from dead limbs and fence rails covered the 

 outside of the nests, and these blend so cleverly with the 

 limb on which they are saddled that detection is difficult. 

 Ofttimes while searching for the nest both birds remain 

 close by, calling in their sweet but mournful tones. The 

 httle nests are lined with fine grass and stems and usually 

 contain three cream-colored eggs marked about the larger 

 end with spots of lilac and purplish-brown. 



