PE WIT FL YCA TCHER. 2 2§ 



North and South Carolina. They were feeding on smilax 

 berries, and chanting, occasionally, their simple notes. The 

 favourite resort of this bird is by streams of water, under 

 or near bridges, in caves, &c. Near such places he sits on a 

 projecting twig, calling out, pe-ivee, pe-wittitee pe-ivee, for a 

 whole morning ; darting after insects, and returning to the 

 same twig ; frequently flirting his tail, like the wagtail, though 

 not so rapidly. He begins to build about the 20th or 25th of 

 March, on some projecting part under a bridge, in a cave, in 

 an open well, five or six feet down, among the interstices of 

 the side walls, often under a shade in the low eaves of a 

 cottage, and such-like places.* The outside is composed of 

 mud mixed with moss, is generally large and solid, and lined 

 with flax and horse hair. The eggs are five, pure white, with 

 two or three dots of red near the great end (see fig. 4). I 

 have known them rear three broods in one season. 



In a particular part of Mr Bartram's woods, with which I 

 am acquainted, by the side of a small stream, in a cave five or 

 six feet high, formed by the undermining of the water below 

 and the projection of two large rocks above — 



There down smooth glist'ning rocks the rivulet pours, 

 Till in a pool its sileut waters sleep ; 



* The general manners of this species, and indeed of the greater part 

 of the smaller Tyrannulce, bear a considerable resemblance to those of 

 the common spotted flycatcher of this country, which the dilatation at 

 the base of the bill, and the colour of the plumage, render still greater. 

 The peculiar droop of the tail, and occasional rise and depression of the 

 feathers on the crown, which are somewhat elongated — the motionless 

 perch on some bare branch — the impatient call — the motion of the tail 

 — and the sudden dart after some insect, and return to the same spot — 

 are all close resemblances to the manners delineated by our author ; and 

 the resort by streams, bridges, or caves, with the manner and place of 

 building — even the colour of the eggs — are not to be mistaken. In one 

 instance our flycatcher and the Tyrannulce disagree ; the former possess 

 no pleasing notes ; its only cries are a single, rather harsh and mono- 

 tonous click and a shrill peep. The song of the Tyrannulce is " simple," 

 but " lively." — Ed. 



