The Singing of Birds. B. P. Bickxxell. 
Myiarchus crinitus. Great-crested Flycatcher. 
In July the voice of this bird begins to fail, and a silent-period 
is nearly approached, if, indeed, it be not actually reached, in 
trying summers. 
Duiing this time of semi-silence the usual utterance is a single 
note, which is often faint, and with a mournful intonation as it 
sounds at slow intervals among the high trees of the woods. 
_ Towards the end of August there is noticeable on the part of the 
bi'ds an attempt to regain their earlier vocal prowess, but they 
soon return to the low note which they learned in July. This 
is their farewell, and is in strange contrast to the harsh outcry 
with which they came upon the scene. 
Auk, 2, July, 1886. p. 
Snake Skins in the Nests of Myiarchus crinitus. — The habit of the 
Great Crested Flycatcher of putting scraps of discarded snake skin in its 
nest is — so far as the nests which I have found — invariable. Nevertheless, 
in one instance, atTamworth, New Hampshire, I found a nest with one 
egg in it but with no snake skin visible. I found it about 7 a.m. one 
beautiful day in early July, 1888. I touched the egg and handled the 
nest slightly. Shortly before sunset I looked a second time into the 
hollow limb where the nest was placed, and was much surprised, in fact 
somewhat startled, by what I saw. Forming a complete circle about the 
egg, resting, in fact, like a wreath upon the circumference of the nest 
cavity, was a piece of snake skin six or seven inches long. The part which 
had encased the head of the snake was at the front of the nest and was 
slightly raised. It may not be wise to found a theory upon a single fact, 
but from the moment I saw that newly acquired snake skin, placed as it 
was, I made up my mind that the Great Crested Flycatcher uses the skin 
to scare away intruders. When the full set of eggs was laid, I took them 
and the nest. Only remnants of snake skin remained in the rubbish of 
the nest. The large skin had been removed or torn to bits. 
The following year the same hollow was again occupied by Great 
Crested Flycatchers. I found the nest on July 7. It contained four eggs, 
and some scraps of snake skin were in sight. All the eggs hatched on the 
morning of the 12th. On the intermediate days my visits to the nest 
were regular. During those days a number of larger scraps of skin were 
placed on the outer edge of the nest. Their position was changed almost 
daily. Once some were set up like a fence, and so was a hen’s feather. 
The birds knew of my visits, and scolded me while I remained in sight. 
These facts tended to confirm my theory in my own mind. — Frank 
Bolles, Cambridge, Mass. YTL> Jtllj, 1890, P; 9 ,^- 
