MYIARCHUS CRINITUS : CRESTED FLYCATCHER. I9 



and distribution so regular as to characterize certain 

 faunal areas, we should expect it to be represented 

 equally and numerously in southern New England, and 

 sparingly or irregularly further north. As a fact, how- 

 ever, it appears to be nowhere very abundant, and yet 

 to be dispersed with what may be called " regular irreg- 

 ularity" in. all the six New England States — its dis- 

 tribution being according to locality without special 

 reference to latitude. Again, there is something capri- 

 cious as well as fortuitous in its movements — for its 

 numbers seem to increase or diminish in particular 

 localities in different years, and it may even disappear 

 entirely from places where it had formerly been observed, 

 or be seen some years in other regions where there had 

 been no previous records of its appearance. To sum the 

 case in few words, we may say that this Flycatcher is 

 locally distributed in nearly all New England, but by no 

 means throughout that country ; and that in most places 

 where found at all it is rather a rare bird. It is of course 

 only a summer visitor ; it arrives early in May, and de- 

 parts usually before the end of September. 



Though Nuttall spoke of the Crested Flycatcher as 

 nearly unknown in New England, and Linsley men- 

 tioned the only individual he ever saw in Connecticut, 

 Mr. Merriam says that now it is certainly a really com- 

 mon bird in the southern part of that State at least; 

 adding that we must remember that Nuttall and Linsley 

 were probably not familiar with its characteristic — almost 

 diagnostic — note. "My experience with the bird," he 

 states, " has been, that it is rarely seen, unless, guided 

 by its note, it is persistently followed up ; and even then, 

 one is almost at his wit's end to get a shot, so well does 

 the bird keep concealed amongst the foliage." In fur- 



