Olive Sided Flycatcher Art Print by John James Audubon

An archival premium Quality art print of the Olive Sided Flycatcher by John James Audubon for sale by Brandywine General Store. The artwork features a male and female pair of this species setting in a balsam fir tree with pine cones all around them. In later editions of this book, the bird is labeled as the Cooper's Flycatcher. In the first Havell edition of Birds of America this small vireo songbird is plate or picture number 174, the lower right corner states that this was engraved, printed and colored by R. Havell, London in 1833. Muscicapa Inornata - Mr. Audubon describes the Olive Sided Flycatcher or Cooper's Flycatcher thus "It is difficult, for me at least, to understand how we should now have in the United States so many birds which, not more than twenty years ago, were nowhere to be found in our country. Of these new-comers the Olive-sided Flycatcher is one, and one, too, whose size and song render it very conspicuous among its kindred. On the 8th of August, 1832, while walking out from Boston towards the country seat of the Honourable THOMAS H. PERKINS, along with my friend NUTTALL, we were suddenly saluted with the note of this bird. As I had never seen it, I leaped over the fence beside us, and cautiously approached the tree on which a male was perched and singing. Desiring my friend to go in search of a gun, I watched the motions of the devoted bird. He returned with a large musket, a cow's horn filled with powder, and a handful of shot nearly as large as peas; but, just as I commenced charging this curious piece, I discovered that it was flintless! We were nearly a mile distant from Mr. Perkins house, but as we were resolved to have the bird, we proceeded to it with all despatch, procured a gun, and returning to the tree, found the Flycatcher, examined its flight and manners for awhile, and at length shot it. As the representative of a species, I made a drawing of this individual, which you will find copied in the plate indicated above...." Audubon bird print #174