WESTERN BIRDS Pew«e 



Another nest of Wood Pewees which I found the last 

 of June in the Sierra Madre Mountains, contained three 

 well-feathered young. Like the other recorded it was 

 built on an alder tree on a bare limb in a horizontal 

 crotch made by a half-inch twig which grew at right 

 angles to the branch, which was itself only about an 

 inch thick. It was located directly over the stream and 

 about ten feet above it. So shallow was this nest and 

 so big were the nestlings in it that I expected momen- 

 tarily to see one of them crowded out and landed in the 

 rushing water. However, the little fellows clung on 

 tenaciously. They were trying their wings and it was 

 evident that when they left the nest they would fly 

 away. 



This nest-tree grew right beside the only nearby cross- 

 ing so that all who went farther up the canyon must 

 pass it by. Yet, not one in every hundred saw that cun- 

 ning family. If, perchance, they looked at the limb 

 they thought this heavier patch only a growth, so well 

 did all blend together. I had myself passed them by 

 more than once before the actions of the birds attracted 

 my attention. I never saw such rapid feeding as was 

 going on at that nest. Both birds were at it and I dared 

 not take my eyes from the nest for fear I would miss 

 their coming. A wire below the nest was a favorite 

 perch. From there, when they stopped at all, they 

 darted out and with a noisy snap of the bill were at the 

 nest feeding. Then both birds, as they departed on an- 

 other sally, gave their call, pwe-er, and sometimes just 

 pee. In thirty-nine minutes' watching about four 

 o'clock on July 3rd the birds fed thirty times. It was 

 quite evident that soon the nestling would depart, and 

 I hoped for the sake of their parents that soon they 

 would be able to help themselves. 



Prof. Beal tells us in Bull. 44 of the number of insects 

 he saw one of these Western Wood Pewees take in three 

 minutes. The first minute he caught seven; the second, 



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