BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



During the late summer, autumn and winter, I have noticed that 

 these birds, in addition to various insects, feed to a considerable extent 

 on different kinds of fruits, such as those of the raspberry, blackberry r 

 poke, wild- grape and cedar. The young of this species are fed exclu- 

 sively on insects. 



GENUS CONTOPUS. OABANIS. 

 461. Contopus virens (LINN.). 



Wood Pewee. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Feet black ; iris brown ; the upper parts, sides of the head, neck and breast, dark 

 oblivaceous-brown, the latter rather paler, the head darker ; a narrow white ring 

 round the eye ; the lower parts pale-yellowish, deepest on the abdomen ; across the 

 breast tinged with ash ; this pale ash sometimes occupies the whole of the breast, 

 and even occasionally extends up to the chin ; it is also sometimes glossed with 

 oblivaceous ; the wings and tail dark brown, generally deeper than in & phoebe : 

 two narrow bands across the wing, the outer edge of first primary and of the second, 

 aries and tertials dull-white ; the edges of the tail feathers like the back, the outer 

 one scarcely lighter ; upper mandible black, the lower yellow, but brown at the tip. 

 Length about 6.25 ; extent about 10 inches. 



Hab. Eastern North America to the plains, and from southern Canada south, 

 ward. 



The Wood Pewee, a common summer resident, arrives in Pennsyl- 

 vania early in May and continues with us until about September 20th. 

 This bird is found commonly in forests or the shady retreats of apple 

 orchards. During the breeding season, particularly, the Wood Pewee 

 when perched on the dead branches of trees, watching for his insect 

 prey, utters a peculiar plaintive drawling note "pe-d-wee, d-pee-wee! " 

 which once heard is rarely forgotten. A writer has very properly 



*Taken in the morning's feeding near a small pond. 



