few feathers. The greatest diameter across the open mouth is from five to six inches, and the depth from four to five. Both birds work alternately, bringing pellets of mud or damp earth, mixed with moss, the latter of which is mostly disposed on the outer parts, and in some instances the whole exterior looks as if entirely formed of it. The fabric is firmly attached to a rock, or a wall, the rafter of a house, &c. In the barrens of Kentucky I have found the nests fixed to the side of those curious places called sink-holes, and as much as twenty feet below the surface of the ground. I have observed that when the Pewees return in spring, they strengthen their tenement by adding to the external parts attached to the rock, as if to prevent it from falling, which after all it sometimes does when several years old. Instances of their taking possession of the nest of the Republican Swallow (Hirundo fulva) have been observed in the State of Maine. The eggs are from four to six, rather elongated, pure white, generally with a few reddish spots near the larger end.

In Virginia, and probably as far as New York, they not unfrequently raise two broods, sometimes three, in a season.

This species ejects the hard particles of the wings, legs, abdomen, and other parts of insects, in small pellets, in the manner of owls, goatsuckers and swallows.

The following characters presented by the digestive organs and trachea, are common to all the North American small Flycatchers, varying only in their relative dimensions. The roof of the mouth is flat and somewhat diaphanous; its anterior part with three prominent lines, the palate with longitudinal ridges; the posterior aperture of the nares linear-oblong, margined with papillæ. The tongue is 4 twelfths long, rather broad, very thin, emarginate and papillate at the base, the tip slit. The mouth is rather wide, measuring 4 twelfths across. There is a very narrow oblong salivary gland in the usual place, and opening by three ducts. The oesophagus is 2 inches 1 twelfth long, 24 twelfths wide, without dilatation. The stomach is rather small, 6 twelfths long, 5 twelfths broad, considerably compressed, the lateral muscles distinct and of moderate size, the lower very thin; the epithelium thin, tough, longitudinally rugous, brownish-red. The stomach filled with insects. The intestine is 6 inches long, from 12 twelfths to 1 twelfth in width; the cœca 1 twelfths long, twelfth broad, 1 inch distant from the extremity; the rectum gradually dilates into an ovate cloaca.

The trachea is 1 inch 7 twelfths long, from 1 twelfth to twelfth in breadth, considerably flattened; the rings 78, with two additional dimidiate rings. The bronchi are of moderate length, with 12 half rings. The lateral muscles are very slender, as are the sterno-tracheales; the inferior laryngeal are very small, and seem to form only a single pair.

N°13.

PEWIT FLYCATCHER, Muscicapa nunciola, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. ii. p. 78.
MUSCICAPA FUSCA, Bonap. Syn., p. 68.

PEWIT FLYCATCHER or PHŒBE, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 278.

PEWEE FLYCATCHER, Muscicapa fusca, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 122; vol. v. p. 424.

Wing much rounded, third quill longest, fourth scarcely shorter, but considerably longer than second, first intermediate between sixth and seventh; tail emarginate; upper parts dull olive, the head much darker; quills and tail dusky brown, secondaries and their coverts edged with pale brown; outer tail-feathers whitish on the outer edge, unless toward the tip; lower parts dull yellowish-white, the breast tinged with grey.

Male, 7, 91.

Throughout the United States, and northward. Spends the winter in vast numbers in the southern parts.

THE COTTON PLANT.

GOSSYPIUM HERBACEUM, Linn., Syst. Nat., vol. ii. p. 462.—MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA, Linn. MALVACEÆ, Juss.

This species, commonly known in America, is distinguished by its fivelobed leaves and herbaceous stem.

THE WOOD PE WEE.

MUSCICAPA VIRENS, Linn.

PLATE LXIV.―MALE.

It is in the darkest and most gloomy retreats of the forest that the Wood Pewee is generally to be found, during the season which it spends with us. You may find it, however, lurking for awhile in the shade of an overgrown orchard; or, as autumn advances, you may see it gleaning the benumbed insects over the slimy pools, or gliding on the outskirts of the woods, when, for the last time, the piping notes of the bullfrog are heard mingling with its own plaintive tones. In all these places, it exhibits the simplicity and freedom of its natural habits, dashing after the insects on which it principally feeds, with a remarkable degree of inattention to surrounding objects. Its sallies have also the appearance of being careless, although at times protract

ed, when it seems to seize several insects in succession, the more so perhaps that it has no rival to contend with in such situations. Sometimes towards autumn, it sweeps so closely over the pools that it is enabled to seize the insects as they float on the water; while, at other times, and as if in surprise, it rises to the tops of the forest trees, and snaps the insect which is just launching forth on some extensive journey, with all the freedom of flight that the bird itself possesses.

The weary traveller, who at this season wanders from his path in search of water to quench his thirst, or to repose for awhile in the shade, is sure to be saluted with the melancholy song of this little creature, which, perched erect on a withered twig, its wings quivering as if it had been seized with a momentary chill, pours forth its rather low, mellow notes with such sweetness as is sure to engage the attention. Few other birds are near; and, should the more musical song of a Wood-thrush come on his ear, he may conceive himself in a retreat where no danger is likely to assail him during his repose.

This species, which is considerably more abundant than the M. fusca, is rather late in entering the Middle States, seldom reaching Pennsylvania until the 10th of May; yet it pushes its migrations quite beyond the limits of the United States. On the one hand, many of them spend the winter months in the most Southern States, such as Louisiana and the pine barrens of Florida, feeding on different berries, as well as insects; while, on the other, I have met with them in September, in the British province of New Brunswick, and observed their retrograde movements through Maine and Massachusetts. I have also seen them near Halifax, Nova Scotia, in Labrador, and in Newfoundland.

In autumn, when its notes are almost the only ones heard, it may often be seen approaching the roads and pathways, or even flitting among the tall and beautiful elms in the vicinity, or in the midst of our eastern cities. There you may observe the old birds teaching the young how to procure their food. The various groups, imperceptibly as it were, and in the most gradual manner, now remove southward by day; and, at this season, their notes are heard at a very late hour, as in early spring. They may be expressed by the syllables pē-wēe, pettowēe, pē-wēe, prolonged like the last sighs of a despondent lover, or rather like what you might imagine such sighs to be, it being, I believe, rare actually to hear them.

This species, in common with the Great Crested Flycatcher, and the Least Wood Pewee, is possessed of a peculiarity of vision, which enables it to see and pursue its prey with certainty, when it is so dark that you cannot perceive the bird, and are rendered aware of its occupation only by means of the clicking of its bill.