ACADIAN FLYCATCHER. : 373 
ing of all members of the family breeding with us. It is one of our most 
familiar birds, and, by those whose a¢quintance with birds is super- 
ficial, is confounded with the Pewee above described. It is, however, 
considerably smaller, slenderer, and rather darker. Their notes are much 
alike, but that of the Common Pewee consists of two syllables quickly 
and sharply repeated, while the note of the Wood Pewee consists of three 
syllables, pe-to-wee, less emphatic,much slower and softer. These notes 
are heard at all hours of the day, but especially after sunset, when the 
bird has regaled himself upon a plentiful supply of crepuscular insects, 
he delights in their repetion. | 
The nest of the Wood Pewee is a heautiful structure, equaled only by 
that of the Hummingbird and Gnatcatcher, which it resembles. 
It is placed on a horizontal limb, or on a horizontal fork, frequently 
quite near the ground. It is composed of fine grass and vegetable fibres 
with spider’s webs and down, and the outside completely covered with 
bits of grayish lichens which give it a very neat and finished appear- 
ance, while they assist materially in its concealment. The eggs are 
four, creamy white, with aring of lavender and purplish-brown confluent 
spots near the greater end. They measure .78 by .55. 
GENUS EMPIDONAX. Cabanis. 
Head slightly crested. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw, which is decidedly 
longer than hind toe. Tail nearly even, a little shorter than the wings; first. primary 
shorter or not obviously longer than 5th; 2d, 3d and 4th forming point of wing. 
HMPIDONAX ACADICUS (Gm.) Baird. 
Acadian EW lycatcher. 
Muscicapa acadica, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 163. 
Tyrannus acadicus, (in part?) Reap, Fam. Visitor, iii, 1853, 359; Proc. Phila. Acad., vi, 
1853, 395. 
Empidonax acadicus, BAIRD, P. R. R. Rep., ix, 1858, 197.—KirKparrick, Ohio Farmer, 
ix, 1860, 43.—WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. fur 1860, 1861, 362, 373; Reprint, 4, 15; 
Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 1875, 568; Reprint, 8—HENnsHaw, 
Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, i, 1876, 14—Lanepon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 10; Revised 
List, Journ. Cin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 177; Reprint, 11.—BrewsTER, Bull. Nutt. 
Orn. Club, iii, 1878, 177, (first plumage). 
Muscicapa acadica, GMELIN, Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 947. 
_mpidonax acadicus, BAIRD, Birds N. A., 1858, 197. 
Above olive green, clear continuous and uniform (though the crown may show rather 
darker, owing to dusky centres of the slightly lengthened, erectile feathers) ; below, 
whitish, olive shaded on sides and nearly across breast, yellow-washed on belly, flanks, 
crissum and axillars; wings dusky, inner quills edged, and coverts tipped with tawny- 
yellow; all the quills whitish edged internally; tail dusky, olive-glossed, unmarked ; 
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