22 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



bers of their family, (so far as my obser- 

 vations go.) 1 have had ample opportu- 

 nities for studying their habits. After 

 satisfying their appetites they assemble 

 in large flocks on the sand flats, left by 

 the receding tide along the ocean beach, 

 and as each newcomer alights the others 

 all erect their crests and raise their wings, 

 at the same time sending forth a loud 

 chorus o! their harsh, rasping cries of 

 welcome, which always seemed to me in 

 strong discord with their easy graceful 

 movements while on the wing. They us- 

 ually sit just at the edge of the water, a.nd 

 when the waves wash up — often ever 

 their feet, they raise their tail, and folded 

 wings to their highest angle, as if afraid 

 that the spray would soil their delicately 

 tinted plumage. Breeds from Cobbs Is- 

 land, Va., southward. Nast, a hollow in 

 the sand. Eggs, two to four, greenish or 

 yellowish ground, spotted with umber 

 brown and lilac of different shades. Size 

 about 2:70 x 1 :70 in. 



[26.) 6j. Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida. 

 fabot's Tern. (683.) 



Above light bluish pearl. Top of head, 

 extending to end of loose crest on the 

 occiput, basal three-fourths of bill, legs 

 and feet, black. Tip of bill yellow. Rump, 

 Tail, and under parts, white, the latter 

 with a beautiful roseate tinge when first 

 killed. Length 15 1-2 inches. 



A rare straggler from* the South. Re- 

 corded as far north as Cape Cod. I have 

 taken srveral specimens on the South 

 Carolina and Georgia coasts, but its 

 habitat is given as from - Texas to Flori- 

 da. Breeds from southern Florida south- 

 ward, and among the Bahamas. Nest, a 

 hollow in the sand. Eggs, buffy or white 

 ground, spotted with reddish brown, um- 

 ber, and lavender of different shades, and 

 average about 2 1-8 x 1 1-2 inches. 



• Anti Moth" free sample on receipt of 

 stamp. Sunset Mfg. Co., Los Angeles,Cal. 



Acadian Flycatcher. 



(For the Collectors Monthly.) 



(Empidonnx ncadkus) (Gmel.) Bd. 



The Acadian Flycatcher is one of our 

 latest arrivals ; arriving about the 20tli of 

 May, and migrating about the 10 of Au- 

 gust. As far as I ha ve been able to ascertain 

 is a strictly insectivorous bird, and one 

 that should receive protection. He has 

 no song like some birds, only a peculiar 

 cry which is noticed about dusk of warm 

 summer evenings when he comes forth to 

 procure insects. The Acadian is a very 

 common breeder here. My first set taken 

 this year about June 1st. When they 

 are robbed they will grieve only a few 

 days, when a new nest will be built in the 

 immediate vicinity of the old one, the set 

 consist generally of three, though often 

 four eggs of a dark cream color with 

 brown, and sometimes reddish markings. 

 the markings are generally on the large 

 eud of the egg sometimes forming an un- 

 broken circle around the larger end. The 

 nest is placed generally near the end of a 

 small limb. The nest is very small and 

 sometimes looks like a wisp of grass on a 

 limb, it measures 2 1-2 inches wide, 1 1-4 

 deep outside. On the inside about 1 3-4 

 wide by 1 in. deep. The Acadian Fly- 

 catcher resembles the Phoebe in plumage 

 almost exactly, and it is almost the same 

 size, but a little smaller though than the 

 Fhoebe. Their haunt upon the prairie is 

 some small hedge, very shady in which I 

 have found as many as 8 nests. In the 

 woods he frequents shady glens near some 

 still water The Acadian is a true Fly- 

 catcher, a person observing him in his 

 gyrations will notice they resemble those 

 of the Bee Martin, he will suddenly leave 

 his perch, and flying upward catch an in- 

 sect, when he will come down almost per- 

 pendicular until even with his perch when 

 he will flv back to his perch and devour 

 the insect.— F. T. M. 



