THE SEA AND THE DESERT 201 



vermilion flycatcher, the male of which is a strik- 

 ing bird, was also numerous, while the Arkansas 

 flycatcher which takes the place of our king-bird 

 of the East, nested both along the river and back 

 in the foot-hills. The common phoebe of the East, 

 associated in every mind with rural bridges, barns, 

 and houses, was represented by the black phoebe ; 

 and another, Say's phoebe, was found here as 

 a migrant. The great crested flycatcher also 

 found a prototype in the crested flycatcher of 

 Arizona, which not only resembled it in habits, 

 but was like it in appearance. This was emi- 

 nently a region of flycatchers, for I have not 

 enumerated all the different kinds. Twelve 

 others occurred here either as breeding or migrant 

 birds. The exuberance of insect life largely ac- 

 counted for the predominance of this family. 

 A word further regarding one mentioned, the 

 vermilion flycatcher, to distinguish him. This 

 is a little bird ; in size about like the wood-pewee 

 of the East, with a chocolate brown back, tail, and 

 wings. The head is surmounted by a fiery 

 scarlet crest, reaching all over the occiput and 

 down to the eyes, and the entire under parts are 

 of this same vivid color. Now the habits of this 

 flycatcher are similar to those of its congeners, 

 its prey being taken chiefly on the wing, and 

 when executing this feat, the lower surface then 

 being fully exposed, the bird presents a striking 



