240 FLYCATCHERS.

on the breast and sides; bill black. Innifiiinilar, but upper parts more olive, under parts more yellow, and wing-bars more distinct. L., U'tI‘J; \\'., 3'35; '11, 2'95; B. from N. '41.

[i’uuru-f's.—-—'l'he Pheebe‘s prineipal distinguishing characters are its his» eons erownseap, white outer vane ot' the outer tailst'euther, and blackish lower mandible.

It'dIt'l/(‘til‘ltlstt‘l‘ll North America; breeds from South (‘arolina to New— foundland and Manitoba, and winters from North Carolina to Cuba and Mexieo.

Washington. common S K. Melt. 5 to Oct: Occasionally winters. Sing Sing, eonnnon S. h’., Meh. 14 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, eonnnon S. 1%., Mel). 25 to (NE. 10.

)Z-st, bulky, largely moss and mud lined with grasses and long hairs. on a b-ani or rat'ter, under a bridge or bank. 12'1/1/s, tour to six, white, rarely with a few eiiinanion-brown spots, '78 x '59.

There is something familiar, trustt'ul, and homelike in the Phcebe's ways which has won him an undisputed place in our affections. With an assurance born of many welcomes he returns each year to his perch on the bridge-rail, barnyard gate, or piazza, and contentedly sings his humble, monotonous pewit phwhe, pewit jihwbe—a hopelessly tune- less performanee. but who that has heard it in early spring when the “pussy willow” seems almost to purr with soft blossoms, Will not affirm that l’iuebe touches chords dumb to more ambitious songsters!

Sometimes Phoebe is inspired to greater effort, and. springing into the air on fluttering wings. he utters more pawl/es in a few seconds than he would sing ordinarily in an hour.

Pluebe is a devoted parent. and is rarely found far from home. His nest seems to be the favorite abode of an innumerable swarm of parasites which sometimes cause the death of his offspring, and when rearing a second family he changes his quarters.

No other Flycatcher winters in numbers in our Southern States, and Pluebes’ notes heard in January in the h ‘art of a Florida " innu- iiioek" seem strangely out of place.

Ray‘s l’nomr. (.137. Nayornix sag/Iii. a western speeies. is of‘ accidental Oeeurrein-e east. of the Mississippi. It has been found in northern Illinois, \Viseonsin. burn. and, more recently, on (,‘ape. Cod, Massachusetts (Miller, Auk, vii, isao, p. its).

459. Contopus borealis .Swrui'zm.\. OLIVE—swanl“i.re.\T('iIi:iz. Ail. ~Al‘pper parts between f'nseous and dark olive: wings and tail t‘useous; throat, middle ot' the belly, and generally a narrow line on the center of the breast white or yellowish white; rest, of'the under parts of nearly the same eolor as the back: under tail-eoverts marked with dusky; a tuft ’ff'lflflflflyj.1/(110U'1‘3'h— ’lllllitt'I/‘t’tll/I('r.\‘ on either think; upper mandible black, lower mandible yel- lowish or pale grayish brown, the tip darker. Inn—Similar, but with rather