THE GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 211 



try in March. Many remain there and breed, but the greater number ad- 

 vance towards the Middle States, and disperse among the lofty woods, pre- 

 ferring at all times sequestered places. I have thought that they gave a 

 preference to the high lands, and yet I have often observed them in the low 

 sandy woods of New Jersey. Louisiana, and the countries along the Mis- 

 sissippi, together with the state of Ohio, are the districts most visited by this 

 species in one direction, and in another the Atlantic States as far as Massa- 

 chusetts. In this last, however, it is very seldom met with unless in the 

 vicinity of the mountains, where occasionally some are found breeding. 

 Farther eastward it is entirely unknown. 



Tyrannical perhaps in a degree surpassing the King Bird itself, it yet sel- 

 dom chases the larger birds of prey, but, unlike the Bee Martin, prefers 

 attacking those smaller ones which inadvertently approach its nest or its 

 station. Among themselves these birds have frequent encounters, on which 

 occasions they shew* an unrelenting fierceness almost amounting to barbarity. 

 The plucking of a conquered rival is sometimes witnessed. 



In its flight this bird moves swiftly and with power. It sweeps after its 

 prey with a determined zeal, and repeatedly makes its mandibles clatter with 

 uncommon force and rapidity. When the prey is secured, and it has retired 

 to the spray on which it was before, it is seen to beat the insect on it, and 

 swallow it with greediness, after which its crest is boldly erected, and its 

 loud harsh squeak immediately resounds, imitating the syllables paiip, paip, 

 pay up, payiup. No association takes place among different families, and 

 yet the solicitude of the male towards his mate, and of the parent birds 

 towards their young, is exemplary. The latter are fed and taught to provide 

 for themselves, with a gentleness which might be copied by beings higher 

 in the scale of nature, and in them might meet with as much gratitude as 

 that expressed by the young Flycatchers towards their anxious parents. 

 The- family remain much together while in the United States, and go off in 

 company early in September. This species, like the Tyrant Flycatcher, 

 migrates by day, and during its journeys is seen passing at a great height. 



The squeak or sharp note of the Great Crested Flycatcher is easily distin- 

 guished from that of any of the genus, as it transcends all others in shrillness, 

 and is heard mostly in those dark woods where, recluse-like, it seems to 

 delight. During the love-season, and as long as the male is paying his ad- 

 dresses to the female, or proving to her that he is happy in her society, it is 

 heard for hours both at early dawn and sometimes after sunset; but as soon 

 as the young are out, the whole family are mute. 



It feeds principally upon insects, so long as these are abundant; but fre- 

 quently in autumn, and as it retrogrades from the Middle Districts, its food 

 is grapes and several species of berries, among which those of the pokeweed 



