er。 Common summer resident。
The earliest representative of the flycatcher family to come out of the tropics where insect life fairly swarms and teems； what does the friendly little phoebe find to attract him to the north in March while his prospective dinners must all be still in embryo？ He looks dejected； it is true； as he sits solitary and silent on some projecting bare limb in the garden； awaiting the coming of his tardy mate； nevertheless； the date of his return will not vary by more than a few days in a given locality year after year。 Why birds that are mated for life； as these are said to be； and such devoted lovers； should not travel together on their journey north； is another of the many mysteries of bird…life awaiting solution。
The reunited； happy couple go about the garden and outbuildings like domesticated wrens； investigating the crannies on piazzas； where people may be coming and going； and boldly entering barn…lofts to find a suitable site for the nest that it must take much of both time and skill to build。
Pewit； phoebe； phoebe； pewit； phoebe； they contentedly but rather monotonously sing as they investigate all the sites in the neighborhood。 Presently a location is chosen under a beam or rafter； and the work of collecting moss and mud for the foundation and hair and feathers or wool to line the exquisite little home begins。 But the labor is done cheerfully； with many a sally in midair either to let off superfluous high spirits or to catch a morsel on the wing； and with many a vivacious outburst of what by courtesy only we may name a song。
When not domesticated； as these birds are rapidly becoming； the phoebes dearly love a cool； wet woodland retreat。 Here they hunt and bathe； here they also build in a rocky bank or ledge of rocks or underneath a bridge； but always with clever adaptation of their nest to its surroundings； out of which it seems a natural growth。 It is one of the most finished； beautiful nests ever found。
A pair of phoebes become attached to a spot where they have once nested； they never stray far from it； and return to it regularly； though they may not again occupy the old nest。 This is because it soon becomes infested with lice from the hen's feathers used in lining it； for which reason too close relationship with this friendly bird…neighbor is discouraged by thrifty housekeepers。 When the baby birds have come out from the four or six little white eggs； their helpless bodies are mercilessly attacked by parasites； and are often so enfeebled that half the brood die。 The next season another nest will be built near the first； the following summer still another； until it would appear that a colony of birds had made their homes in the place。
Throughout the long summer for as the phoebe is the first flycatcher to come； so it is the last to go the bird is a tireless hunter of insects； which it catches on the wing with a sharp click of its beak like the other members of its dexterous family。
Say's Phoebe （Sayornis saya） is the Western representative of the Eastern species； which it resembles in coloring and many of its habits。 It is the bird of the open plains； a tireless hunter in midair sallies from an isolated perch； and has the same vibrating motion of the tail that the Eastern phoebe indulges in when excited。 This bird differs chiefly in its lighter coloring； but not in habits； from the black pewee of the Pacific slope。
GREAT…CRESTED FLYCATCHER （Myiarchus crinitus） Flycatcher family
Called also： CRESTED FLYCATCHER； ＇GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER； AOU 1998＇
Length 8。50 to 9 inches。 A little smaller than the robin。 Male and female Feathers of the head pointed and erect。 Upper parts dark grayish…olive； inclining to rusty brown on wings and tail。 Wing coverts crossed with two irregular bars of yellowish white。 Throat gray； shading into sulphur…yellow underneath； that also extends under the wings。 Inner vane of several tail quills rusty red。 Bristles at base of bill。 Range From Mexico； Central America； and West Indies northward to southern Canada and westward to the plains。 Most common in Mississippi basin； common also in eastern United States； south of New England。 Migrations May。 September。 Common summer resident。
The most dignified and handsomely dressed member of his family； the crested flycatcher has； nevertheless； an air of pensive melancholy about him when in repose that can be accounted for only by the pain he must feel every time he hears himself screech。 His harsh； shrill call； louder and more disagreeable than the kingbird's； cannot but rasp his ears as it does ours。 And yet it is chiefly by this piercing note； given with a rising inflection； that we know the bird is in our neighborhood； for he is somewhat of a recluse； and we must often follow the disagreeable noise to its source in the tree…tops before we can catch a glimpse of the screecher。 Perched on a high lookout； he appears morose and sluggish； in spite of his aristocratic…looking crest； trim figure； and feathers that must seem rather gay to one of his dusky tribe。 A low soliloquy； apparently born of discontent； can be overheard from the foot of his tree。 But another second； and he has dashed off in hot pursuit of an insect flying beyond our sight； and with extremely quick； dexterous evolutions in midair； he finishes the hunt with a sharp click of his bill as it closes over the unhappy victim； and then he returns to his perch。 On the wing he is exceedingly active and joyous； in the tree he appears just the reverse。 That he is a domineering fellow； quite as much of a tyrant as the notorious kingbird； that bears the greater burden of opprobrium； is shown in the fierce way he promptly dashes at a feathered stranger that may have alighted too near his perch； and pursues it beyond the bounds of justice； all the while screaming his rasping cry into the intruder's ears； that must pierce as deep as the thrusts from his relentless beak。 He has even been known to drive off woodpeckers and bluebirds from the hollows in the trees that he； like them； chooses for a nest； and appropriate the results of their labor for his scarcely less belligerent mate。 With a slight but important and indispensable addition； the stolen nest is ready to receive her four cream…colored eggs； that look as if a pen dipped in purple ink had been scratched over them。
The fact that gives the great…crested flycatcher a unique interest among all North American birds is that it invariably lines its nest with snake…skins if one can be had。 Science would scarcely be worth the studying if it did not set our imaginations to work delving for plausible reasons for Nature's strange doings。 Most of us will doubtless agree with Wilson （who made a special study of these interesting nests and never found a single one without cast snake…skins in it； even in districts where snakes were so rare they were supposed not to exist at all）； that the lining was chosen to terrorize all intruders。 The scientific mind that is unwilling to dismiss any detail of Nature's work as merely arbitrary and haphazard； is greatly exercised over the reason for the existence of crests on birds。 But； surely； may not the sight of snake…skins that first greet the eyes of the fledgling flycatchers as they emerge from the shell be a good and sufficient reason why the feathers on their little heads should stand on end？ 〃In the absence of a snake…skin； I have found an onion skin and shad scales in the nest；〃 says John Burroughs； who calls this bird 〃the wild Irishman of the flycatchers。〃
OLIVE…SIDED FLYCATCHER （Contotus borealis） Flycatcher family
Length 7 to inches。 About an inch longer than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Dusky olive or grayish brown above； head darkest。 Wings and tail blackish brown； the former sometimes； but not always； margined and tipped with dusky white。 Throat yellowish white； other under parts slightly lighter shade than above。 Olive…gray on sides。 A tuft of yellowish…white； downy feathers on flanks。 Bristles at base of bill。 Range From Labrador to Panama。 Winters in the tropics。 Nests usually north of United States； but it also breeds in the Catskills。 Migrations May。 September Resident only in northern part of Its range。
Only in the migrations may people south of Massachusetts hope to see this flycatcher； which can be distinguished from the rest of its kin by the darker under parts； and by the fluffy； yellowish…white tufts of feathers on its flanks。 Its habits have the family characteristics： it takes its food on the wing； suddenly sallying forth from its perch； darting about midair to seize its prey； then as suddenly returning to its identical point of vantage； usually in some distended； dead limb in the tree…top； it is pugnacious； bold； and tyrannical； mopish and inert when not on the hunt； but wonderfully alert and swift when in pursuit of insect or feathered foe。 The short necks of the flycatchers make their heads appear large for their bodies； a peculiarity slightly emphasized in this member of the family。 High up in some evergreen tree； well out on a branch； over which the shapeless mass of twigs and moss that serves as a nest is saddled； four or five buff…speckled eggs are laid； and by some special dis