22 Coues on Nesting of Flycatchers in Missouri. 
gain some interest from the part of the country whence they come ; as it 
seems to be not generally known that these two birds are common summer 
residents in the county of St. Louis, Mo I experienced not the 
slightest difficulty in identifying all the species I met with, excepting 
the small Flycatchers, which seem to be the stumbling-block of more ex- 
perienced ornithologists than myself Not that I had much difficulty 
in distinguishing our Flycatchers in the field, which is very easy, having 
had such good opportunity ; but to bring my observations in accord with 
what all the books say, — that is where I experienced so much trouble that 
I concluded to let you know some of these experiences. [*] 
“ The birds I am writing of are Einpidonax trailli and acadicus. Both 
are summer residents in this county : acadicus in the forest only, but there 
very abundant, — that means, one pair to every few acres; trailli is common 
almost everywhere outside the forest, not only along the ‘ willow thickets 
bordering streams and swamps,’ but even here in the city, in all large 
gardens, parks, orchards, pastures, cemeteries, etc. 
“ Trailli is not the shy or retiring bird of some Eastern writers ; its 
movements are not ‘ hidden by the foliage of trees,’ as its station is gen- 
erally on a prominent point, often the very top of a shrub or tree, or a 
telegraph-wire, a fence, a weed-stalk. ‘ It would be quite difficult to detect 
the presence of this small Flycatcher when the leaves are on the trees, 
were it not for its notes, which are quite peculiar, sounding like the sylla- 
bles ke-wick ; rather slowly given, etc.,’ says Maynard. I have heard 
this call hundreds of times, as it is a very noisy bird in the middle part of 
May, and may be heard all summer by an early riser ; but I Can never 
make a ‘ ke-wick ’ out of this song ; very easily can I make ‘ pretty dear,’ 
the translation Mr. Ridgway gives for the call of E. pusillus. 
“ A different call is it again when Minot says : 1 Their ordinary note is 
a slightly querulous pu, which is often repeated, and which recalls the 
voice of the Great Crested Flycatcher. Another note is pu-e'e ; . 
their song-note .... resembles the syllables chebee-u ,’ etc. All this is 
totally at variance with my observations 
“In full accordance with my observations is Mr. Henshaw’s account of 
these two birds in the Bulletin, 1876, pp. 14-1 7, and I indorse with pleasure 
his account of the nest architecture of the birds. He says that E. trailli 
builds in an upright fork. This is not to be understood that it must be an 
upright branch ; the branch may be horizontal or drooping, but the nest 
will be fastened to twigs- which spring up and form an upright crotch. I 
have seen many nests of acadicus in the woods, as they are easily found, 
hanging in conspicuous places between 12 and 25 feet above ground. 
They were all made alike, the only difference being that some were more 
difficult to collect than others, hanging on slender limbs far from the trunk 
7 o o 
[* Mr. Widmann’s experience is not singular ; and what capital satire, albeit 
unconscious ! — C.] 
