ZOOLOGY. 
169 
in June, about the period of mating. They pursue insects in the same manner as the other 
species, and often descend to the ground for grasshoppers, &c. Their cries are harsh and loud, 
not deserving the name of a song. They never approach the coast, though so common in 
almost every other part of the country west of the Mississippi.—C. 
This bird is abundant during the summer both in the central and western sections of Oregon 
Territory and Washington Territory. In 1856 I first noticed their arrival from the south about 
May 15. At Fort Dalles, in 1855, I obtained them, I think, a little earlier. They then 
appeared simultaneously with the Icterus Bullockii. At Fort Steilacoom their arrival in 1856 
was at about the same time as that of the Pyranga Ludoviciana, Columbia fasciata, Zenaidura 
Carolinensis, and others. 
The first notification of the arrival of this species in the spring is the occurrence of the 
quarrels and skirmishes incident to their courtships. Like the other birds of this family, they 
are remarkably quarrelsome and pugnacious ; so much so that, during the commencement of the 
breeding season, whenever they were moderately plentiful, I could scarcely cast my eyes in 
any direction without witnessing jealous conflicts in which two or more of these little creatures, 
with harsh, squeaking clamor, were most madly engaged. The battles were generally fought 
in the air, and presented ludicrous alternations of pursuit and flight. 
The breeding places at Fort Dalles were in oak trees by preference.—S. 
CONTOPUS BOREALIS, Baird. 
Olive-sided Flycatcher. 
Tyrannus borealis, Sw. & Eich. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 141; plate. 
Muscicapa cooperi, Nuttali, Man. I, 1832, 282 .—Aud. Ora. Biog. II, 1834, 422 : V, 1839, 422 ; pi. 174.—Is. 
Synopsis, 1839, 41 .—Ib. Birds Amer. I, 1840, 212 ; pi. 58. 
Tyrannus cooperi, Bonap. List, 1838 .—Nuttall, Man. I, 2d ed. 1840, 298. 
Contopus cooperi, Cabanis, Journal fur Omithol. Ill, Nov. 1855, 479. 
Muscicapa inornata, Nuttali,, Man. I, 1832, 282. 
Contopus borealis, Baird, Gen. Eep. Birds, p. 188. 
Sp. Ch.—W ings long, much pointed ; the second quill longest; the first longer than the third. Tail deeply forked. 
Tarsi short. The upper parts ashy brown, showing darker brown centres of the feathers ; this is eminently the case on the 
top of the head ; the sides of the head and neck, of the breast and body resembling the hack, but with the edges of the 
feathers tinged with gray, leaving a darker central streak. The chin, throat, narrow line down the middle of the breast 
and body, abdomen, and lower tail coverts white, or sometimes with a faint tinge of yellow. The lower tail coverts 
somewhat streaked with brown in the centre. On each side of the rump, generally concealed by the wings, is an elongated 
bunch of white silky feathers. The wings and tail very dark brown ; the former, with the edges of the secondaries and 
tertials, edged with dull white. The lower wing coverts and axillaries grayish brown. The tips of the primaries and tail 
feathers rather paler. Feet and upper mandible black ; lower mandible brown. The young of the year similar, but the 
color duller ; the feet light brown. Length, 8.50 to 7.75 ; extent, 10.50 to 13 ; wiDg, 4.33 ; tail, 3.30 ; tarsus, .60. Iris 
brown ; feet black ; bill black above, horn color below. Female smaller. 
Hab .— Bare on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States. Not observed in the interior, except to the north. 
Found in Greenland. (Keinhardt.) 
The olive-sided flycatcher is very common, arriving early in May, and frequenting the 
borders of woods, where, from the summit of some tall dead tree, its loud melancholy cry 
resounds through the day during the whole of summer. It frequents the small pine groves 
along the coast as well as the interior, and remains until late in September.—C. 
I obtained a specimen of a bird at Fort Steilacoom, July 10, 1856, which agreed in many 
respects with Nuttali’s description of this species. From my note book I extract the following 
remarks: “No. 454. $ . 6|, 10 J. Upper mandible nearly black; lower dusky (purplish? 
22 Q 
