230 
THE PEWEE FLYCATCHER. 
few feathers. The greatest diameter across the open mouth is from five to 
six inches, and the depth from four to five. Both birds work alternately, 
bringing pellets of mud or damp earth, mixed with moss, the latter of which 
is mostly disposed on the outer parts, and in some instances the whole 
exterior looks as if entirely formed of it. The fabric is firmly attached to 
a rock, or a wall, the rafter of a house, &c. In the barrens of Kentucky I 
have found the nests fixed to the side of those curious places called sink- 
holes, and as much as twenty feet below the surface of the ground. I have 
observed that when the Pewees return in spring, they strengthen their 
tenement by adding to the external parts attached to the rock, as if to 
prevent it from falling, which after all it sometimes does when several years 
old. Instances of their taking possession of the nest of the Republican 
Swallow ( Hirundo fuiva) have been observed in the State of Maine. The 
eggs are from four to six, rather elongated, pure white, generally with a 
few reddish spots near the larger end. 
In Virginia, and probably as far as New York, they not unfrequently 
raise two broods, sometimes three, in a season. 
This species ejects the hard particles of the wings, legs, abdomen, and 
other parts of insects, in small pellets, in the manner of Owls, Goatsuckers, 
and Swallows. 
The following characters presented by the digestive organs and trachea, 
are common to all the North American small Flycatchers, varying only in 
their relative dimensions. The roof of the mouth is flat and somewhat 
diaphanous'; its anterior part with three prominent lines, the palate with 
longitudinal ridges ; the posterior aperture of the nares linear-oblong, mar- 
gined with papillae. The tongue is 4| twelfths long, rather broad, very thin, 
emarginate and papillate at the base, the tip slit. The mouth is rather wide, 
measuring 41 twelfths across. There is a very narrow oblong salivary 
gland in the usual place, and opening by three ducts. The oesophagus is 2 
inches 1 twelfth long, 21 twelfths wide, without dilatation. The stomach is 
rather small, 6 twelfths long, 5 twelfths broad, considerably compressed, 
the lateral muscles distinct and of moderate size, the lower very thin ; the 
epithelium thin, tough, longitudinally rugous, brownish-red. The stomach 
filled with insects. The intestine is 61 inches long, from If twelfths to 1 
twelfth in width ; the coeca l! twelfths long, | twelfth broad, 1 inch distant 
from the extremity ; the rectum gradually dilates into an ovate cloaca. 
The trachea is 1 inch 7 twelfths long, from 1 twelfth to f twelfth in breadth, 
considerably flattened ; the rings 78, with two additional dimidiate rings. 
The bronchi are of moderate length, with 12 half rings. The lateral 
muscles are very slender, as are the sterno-tracheales ; the inferior laryn- 
geal are very small, and seem to form only a single pair. 
