Page:Ornithological biography, or an account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America, vol 2.djvu/293

Rh to twenty feet above the ground, sometimes so low as to allow a man to look into it. In some instances I have found it on the large horizontal branches of an oak, when it looked like a knot. It is always neat and WeU--finished, the inside measuring about two inches in diameter, with a depth of an inch and a half. The exterior is composed of stripes of the inner bark of various trees, vine fibres and grasses, matted together with the down of plants, wool, and soft moss. The lining consists of fine grass, a few feathers, and horse hair. The whole is light, elastic, and firmly coherent, and is glued to the twigs or saddled on the branch with great care. The eggs are from four to six, small, and pure white. While the female is sitting, the male often emits a scolding chirr of defiance, and rarely wanders far from the nest, but relieves his mate at intervals. In the Middle States they often have two broods in the season, but in Maine or farther north only one. The young follow their parents in the most social manner ; but before these birds leave us entirely, the old and the young form different parties, and travel in small groups towards warmer regions.

I have thought that this species throws up pellets more frequently than most others. Its food consists of insects during spring and summer, such as moths, wild bees, butterflies, and a variety of smaller kinds ; but in autumn it greedily devours berries and small grapes. Although not shy with respect to man, it takes particular notice of quadrupeds, follow- ing a minx or polecat to a considerable distance, with every manifesta- tion of anger. The mutual affection of the male and female, and their solicitude respecting their eggs or young, are quite admirable. The flight of the Small Green Flycatcher is performed by short ghd- ings, supported by protracted flaps of the wings, not unlike those of the Pewee Flycatcher ; and it is often seen, while passing low through the woods or following the margins of a creek, to drink in the manner of swallows, or sweep after its prey, until it alights. Like the King Bjrd, ii always migrates by day.

MusciCAPA ACADicA, Ch. BonupaHe, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 68.

Small Green Crested Flycatcher, Muscicapa querula, Wih, Amer. Ornitb-voL ii. p. 77- pi. 13, fig. 3.

Small Pewee, Nuttall, Manual, pare. i. p. 288.

Adult Male. Plate CXLIV. Fig. 1.

Bill of ordinary length, depressed (much deeper than in M. Traillii), tapering to a point, the lateral outlines a little convex ; upper mandible