. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. FLYCATCHERS 191 bushes, preferably mesquite, 5 to 20 feet up ; constructed of plant stems, weeds, thistledown, cotton or wool felted and lined with moss or cotton; sometimes built entirely of cotton. Eggs: 4 to 6, generally 5, white, or creamy, marked with chestnut, brown, and lilac. Distribution.— Breeds from .southern Texas to southern Kansas, less commonly in southwestern Mis- souri, western Arkansas, and western Louisiana; winters from southern Mexico to Panama; accidental in Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermon
. Birds of America;. Birds -- North America. FLYCATCHERS 191 bushes, preferably mesquite, 5 to 20 feet up ; constructed of plant stems, weeds, thistledown, cotton or wool felted and lined with moss or cotton; sometimes built entirely of cotton. Eggs: 4 to 6, generally 5, white, or creamy, marked with chestnut, brown, and lilac. Distribution.— Breeds from .southern Texas to southern Kansas, less commonly in southwestern Mis- souri, western Arkansas, and western Louisiana; winters from southern Mexico to Panama; accidental in Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, Manitoba, Keewatin, and even in Mackenzie River valley. This is one of the most picturesque and grace- ful of American birds; and he has individuahty, too, which would make him conspicuous without these physical peculiarities. His picturesqucness is due chieflv to his long and strikingly marked tail, which he is likely to open and shut when he is excited about anything. This ornament also serves to accentuate the grace or the erratic character of the bird's aerial gyrations, many of which apparently are indulged in simply for the fun of the thing. One of these is a rapidly executed series of ascents and dives, the bizarre effect of which is heightened by the spreading and closing of the streaming tail-feathers, the performance being accompanied by harsh screams emphasized at each crest of the flight wave. Again and for no apparent reason he will interrupt a slow and decorous straight-line flight by suddenly darting upward, uttering at the same time an ear-piercing shriek. Altogether there is something rather uncanny about much of this bird's conduct; and perhaps its unusual ways are responsible for the Mexican peasants' belief that its food is the brains of other birds, which of course, is a hideous slander. Perhaps, however, this Mexican myth may have been inspired by the bird's fearless attacks upon White-necked Ravens, Caracaras, and other predacious birds, which it wil
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidbirdsofameri, bookyear1923
