422 
FLYCATCHERS. 
Territory, and seems most abundant in the Northern and 
Eastern States. Though, like the preceding, these are solitary, 
retiring birds, and fond of the shade of the forest, yet in this 
vicinity their nests are numerous. On their first arrival, pre- 
vious to pairing, they are engaged in constant quarrels about 
their mates, and often molest other birds whom they happen to 
see employed in pursuit of the same kind of food with them- 
selves. Like the preceding species, they take their station on 
a low branch to reconnoitre the passing insects on which they 
feed, and from time to tinje make a circular sweep for their 
prey. VV'hen seated, they utter very frequently a sharp, un- 
pleasant squeak, somewhat resembling that of the Kingbird, 
sounding like qtted.h, and sometimes 'ish’ah, or tsheah, tsheah, 
and tshooe, with a guttural, snapping sound, succeeded by a 
kind of querulous, low twitter uttered as they fly from tree to 
tree, and chiefly at the instant of alighting. At other times 
they have a recognizing, rather low call of 'whit, 'whit, re- 
peated at short intervals; again, in the warmest weather, I 
have heard one of these Pewees call something like the whist- 
ling of 'weet, 'weet, 'weet, 'will. Occasionally, when fighting 
or in flying, it also makes an echoing tshirr. It possesses all 
the habits of the Kingbird, catches bees, flies, and moths, ex- 
hibits a variety of quivering motions, and defends its nest with 
great courage against the approach of larger birds. 
The nest of the Small Pewee is usually fixed in the slender, 
upright forks of a young forest tree from 6 to 20 or 30 feet 
from the ground. I have also found the nests on the horizon- 
tal branch of an apple-tree or forest tree. In most instances 
in the woods a gloomy, solitary situation is chosen. The mate- 
rials of this fabric vary according to circumstances ; for the 
first brood a very soft and warm nest is usually made of dry 
grass, willow, and cud-weed down in large quantities, partly 
felted or matted together externally with the saliva of the 
bird. Common tow, if convenient, is also occasionally em- 
ployed when the nest is in an apple-tree, for which some neigh- 
boring graft is probably unravelled. The interior is usually 
formed of slender, narrow strips of bark, bass, and dry grass ; 
