542 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



50. Sayornis nigricans (Sw.). 



Eaie. 



51. Empidonax difEcilis Baiid. 

 Eare. 



52. Empidonax obscurus (Sw.). 



Very common in winter — more rare in summer. 



53. Pyrocephalus rubineus mexicanus (Scl.). 

 One specimen only. 



54. Calypte costae (Boiirc). 



Abundant in %yinter ; not common at San Jose, Cape Saint Lucas, 

 or Miraflores in April and May. 



[Two nests of this species, collected at La Paz, by Mr. Beldiug, are 

 quite different in size and shape. Both are ordinary looking structures, 

 composed of dull gray lichens and small pieces of thin bark, held together 

 with spiders' webs, the interior containing a few soft small feathers, in 

 one nest, apparently of the summer yellow bird {Dcndccca cestiva). The 

 larger nest measures about 1^ inches in diameter by a little more than 

 1 inch in depth, the cavity being about .1 x.80; the smaller one meas- 

 ures about the same in diameter across the top, but is much narrower 

 at the bottom, is less than 1 inch high, and has a shallower cavity with 

 much thinner walls. Each contains a single egg, one of which measures 

 .30X.50, the other .32x.50. The identification is positive, the parent 

 bird accompanying each nest. One of these females has a very large 

 spot or patch of metallic violet on the throat, while the other has instead 

 only a few dusky specks. — R. E.] 



55. Basilinna xantusi (Lawr.). 



In winter, found only in mountain canons. It was common at the 

 western base of Cacachiles mountain in Febriiary, more so, in fact, than 

 C. costce. It was not observed at San Jose until some time after my 

 arrival, though it occurred in cafions only two or three miles to the 

 westward. About the last of April it was common in orchards at San 

 Jose. 



While incubating, this species is very confiding and courageous, some- 

 times remaining upon the nest until removed from it by the hand. A 

 nest taken April 23 was placed underneath an awning or shade 

 of boughs and weeds in front of a farmhouse. It was surrounded by 

 downy heads of composite plants and could scai-cely be distinguished 

 from them, having, as usual, been made of raw cotton. 



[The two nests of this species obtained by Mr. Belding are very neat 

 structures, quite ditferent in appearance from the nest of any other 

 North American Hummer, though they differ much from one another. 

 The finer of the two (No. 18503, San Jose, April 23) is a compactly 

 felted mass composed chiefly of raw cotton, but this coated exteriorly 



