206 RED-E YED FL YCA TCHER. 



edges, seldom at a greater height than four or five feet from 

 the ground. It is formed of pieces of hornets' nests, some 

 flax, fragments of withered leaves, slips of vine bark, bits of 

 paper, all glued together with the saliva of the bird, and the 

 silk of caterpillars, so as to be very compact ; the inside is 

 lined with fine slips of grape-vine bark, fibrous grass, and 

 sometimes hair. These nests are so durable, that I have often 

 known them to resist the action of the weather for a year ; 

 and, in one instance, I have found the nest of the yellow 

 bird built in the cavity of one of those of the preceding year. 

 The mice very often take possession of them after they are 

 abandoned by the owners. The eggs are four, sometimes 

 five, pure white, except near the great end, where they are 

 marked with a few small dots of dark brown or reddish. 

 They generally raise two broods in the season. 



The red-eyed flycatcher is one of the adopted nurses of the 

 cow bird, and a very favourite one, showing all the symptoms 

 of affection for the foundling, and as much solicitude for its 

 safety, as if it were its own. The figure of that singular 

 bird, accompanied by a particular account of its history, is 

 given in Plate XVIII. of the present volume. 



Before I take leave of this bird, it may not be amiss to 

 observe that there is another, and a rather less species of 

 flycatcher, somewhat resembling the red-eyed, which is fre- 

 quently found in its company. Its eyes are hazel ; its back 

 more cinereous than the other, and it has a single light streak 

 over the eye. The notes of this bird are low, somewhat 

 plaintive, but warbled out with great sweetness ; and form a 

 striking contrast with those of the red-eyed flycatcher. I 

 think it probable that Dr Barton had reference to this bird 

 when he made the following remarks (see his " Fragments 

 of the Natural History of Pennsylvania," page 19) : — " Musci- 

 capa olivacea. — I do not think, with Mr Pennant, that this 

 is the same bird as the whip-tom-kelly of the West Indies. 

 Our bird has no such note ; but a great variety of soft, tender, 

 and agreeable notes. It inhabits forests ; and does not, like 



