THE PEWEE OR PHCEBE 



THOMAS NUTTALL 



THESE faithful messengers of spring return to Pennsyl- 

 vania as early as the first week in March, remain until 

 October, and sometimes to nearly the middle of November. 

 In Massachusetts they arrive about the beginning of April, 

 and at first chiefly frequent the woods. 



Their favorite resort is near streams, ponds or stagnant 

 waters, about bridges, caves and barns, where they choose to 

 breed, and, in short, wherever there is a good prospect for 

 obtaining their insect food. Near such places our little hunter 

 sits on the roof of some out-building, on a stake of the fence, 

 or a projecting branch, calling out at short intervals and in a 

 rapid manner phebe, phebe. This quaint and querulous note, 

 occasionally approaching to a warble, sometimes also sounds 

 like pewait, pewait, and then pe-ivai-ee, also phebe, phe-bee-ee, 

 twice alternated; the latter phrase somewhat soft and twit- 

 tering. 



In the spring this not unpleasing guttural warble is kept up 

 for hours together until late in the morning, and though not loud 

 may be heard at a considerable distance. From a roof I have 

 heard these notes full half a mile across the waters of a small 

 lake, and this cheerful though monotonous ditty is only inter- 

 rupted for a few seconds as the performer darts and sweeps 

 after his retreating prey of flies, frequently flirting and quiver- 

 ing his tail and elevating his feathery cap while sharply 

 watching the motions of his fickle game. 



55 



