288 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
SMALL PEWEE. 
(Muscicapa acadica, Gm. M. querula , Wilson, ii. p. 77. pi. 13. fig. 3. 
M. Traillii ? Audubon, pi. 45. Philad. Museum. No. 6825.) 
Sp. Charact. — Dusky olive-green, below yellowish white; hill 
black, beneath dull flesh-color; 3d primary longest, 1st and 6th 
equal. 
This is one of our most common summer birds in this 
part of New England, arriving from the South about the 
last week in April, and leaving us, to retire probably to 
tropical America, about the beginning of September, or 
sometimes a little later. They also extend their migra- 
tions to Labrador, and seem most abundant in the North- 
ern and Eastern States. Though, like the preceding, it 
is a solitary, retiring bird, and fond of the shade of the 
forest, yet in this vicinity, their nests are numerous. On 
their first arrival, previous 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 themselves. Like the pre- 
ceding species, they take their station on a low branch to 
reconnoitre the passing insects on which they feed, and 
from time to time make a circular sweep for their prey. 
When seated, they utter very frequently a sharp, unpleasant 
squeak, somewhat resembling that of the King-bird, sound- 
ing like quedh , and sometimes ’tsTi’ah, or tshedh , 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 recognising, rather low call of ’whit 
J whit , repeated at short intervals ; again, in the warmest 
weather, I have heard one of these Pewees call something 
like the whistling of ’weet ’ iveet ’ weet ’will. Occasionally, 
when fighting or in flying, it also makes an echoing 
