AndroB Island, Bahamas " 2.^ 



John l.Hotthrop ^'iJEjVIII.Jan, I801,p. ^ 7. 



5. PoljoEtila c^ulea caesiogaster (iP.rf^..)- Bx.ub-gray^kat- 

 CATC„.K._rh>s spaces was ve,,v co,.n,on in the low shrubs that grew 'n 

 the p,ne-yard. It was a nrost confiding little bird, and would sit with n 

 afewteet ot ,,„u, twitching its head fron. side to side and uttering its 

 ow. wheez, httle song, apparent!, a, wa,s .er, well pleased with its twn 



Nest of the Blue^rey Gnatcatcher.* 



liY (iEO, ir. CENTER. 



JFuy 18, 188.), I found a iiest of this little bird 

 on II limb twelve feet up, on a dead walnut tree, 

 .situated on the bank of a small creek. The tree 

 was leafless, the water having washed the earth 

 from its roots ,so that it almost fell with my 

 weight when I ascended to the nest, which was 

 placed in the fork of the brancli so that one limb 

 formed a roof to shelter it. The nest wsis com- 

 posed of a coar.se moss found on the trees near 

 by, and spider webs, this latter material being 

 wound around the whole nest, together with a few 

 pieces of wool. It was lined with the down 

 found on hickory buds, and a few feathers, to- 

 gether with some very fine dry grass. 



There was one egg in the nest when found, 

 which I let remain until May 32d, when I re- 

 turned and took the nest and five fresh eggs. 

 This time I saw the female on the nest. She was 

 .sitting parallel with the limb, as I think she al- 

 ways would, for on the side from the tree there 

 was a low place where she rested her chin which 

 enabled her to sit with more ease, as it would 

 otherwise compel her to keep her head straight up. 



The next day I was in the woods at an early 

 hour and saw a pair of these little birds flying 

 from tree to tree, gathering material for their 

 nest. I watched them for some time, and at last 

 saw them fly into the top of an elm. It took some 

 length of time before I could discover them, as 



*From Oiilogical Department, 

 they had evidently just began house building. I 

 at last saw it on a limb about twenty feet from 

 the ground. I did not trouble them until the 3d 

 of June, when I returned and took the nest with 

 five fresh eggs. The work and material used • 

 were precisely like the first, except the nest was 

 smaller, as also were the eggs. Nest number one 

 was two and three-quarters inches in height out- 

 side, two inches deep on the upper side, one and 

 one-half inches on the lower ; circumference eight 

 and one-quarter inches. Number two measures 

 two and one-quarter inches in height, one and 

 three-quarter inches in depth on the upper, and 

 one and one quarter inches deep on the lower 

 side; circumference seven and three-quarters 

 inches. 



Notes on Some Birds of the Great 

 Smoky Mountains. 



BY ARTHUE LBMOYKE, M. D. 

 {Continued from page 148.) 

 POLIOPTILA CffiRULBA. 



Blue-grey Gnatcatcher. 

 This species is common in certain districts, but 

 not very evenly dispersed, seeming to prefer the 

 hard wood growth of the lower table-lands about 

 the cultivated farms. I could find none at higher 

 altitudes among the black growth on the moun- 

 tain sides. It was first noted in Monroe County 

 as early as March 30th, but it usually does not ar- 

 rive until the first week in April. The first ar- 

 rivals are quickly followed by the bulk of the mi- 

 grants and they speedily betake themselves to 

 their favorite haunts, to which they limit their 

 movements. The greatest altitude at which they 

 were found was about 1,800 feet, though they 

 might haveloccurred at a greater height had their 

 desired environs there flourished. 



They nested along the small streams in greater 

 numbers than elsewhere, the old lichen-covered 

 branches of the oaks, giving them protection by 

 reason of strong similarity in outward appear- 

 ances of both nest, and the foundation upon which 

 it was placed. 



The musical abilities of this bird have, with a 

 few exceptions, been ignored by writers. Mr. C. 

 J. Maynard gives the first mention of it that has j 

 fallen to my notice. I have frequently heard the i 

 low yet distinct warble of the males, during the 

 mating season ; at other times I have never heard 

 any song. The song of this Gnatcatcher varies 

 in both volume and note , sometimes it is so faint 

 as to require close attention to catch the strain 

 and at other times a diff'erent song would be 

 given in louder tones. This latter, as nearly as I 

 can express it, seems to my ear like twing-twing- 

 Uoing-tmng, ree-ree-ree-ree. The first half in a 

 rising scale and the latter descending. This is 

 followed by the low jumble of indescriable war- 

 bles which defies any representation. 



Without any exceptions I have always found 

 the nest completed and first set of eggs deposited 

 by the second week in May. The nests are great- 

 ly alike in composition, being large examples of 

 the Ruby-throat Hummer. The set of eggs I find 

 to be usually four. 



