GREEN, GREENISH GRAY, AND OLIVE 439 



accuses them of eating newly hatched fish. The food is 

 swallowed by the adults and afterwards given to the 

 young by regurgitation until they are four or five days 

 old. 



466. TRAILL FLYCATCHER. — Empidonax trailli. 

 Family : The Flycatchers. 



Length: 5.80-6.25. 



Adults: Upper parts olive, darkest on head; wiug'-bars varying from 

 brownish gray to white ; eye-ring white ; under parts white, shaded 

 with olive grayisli on breast, and tinged with bright yellow on poste- 

 rior parts ; under wing-coverts pale yellowish. 



Young : Similar to adults, but upper parts browner ; under parts more 

 distinctly tinged with yellow ; wing-bars yellowish brown. 



Geographical Distribution : Western North America, from the Missis- 

 sippi valley to the Pacific ; south in winter to Mexico. 



California Breeding Range: In interior valleys, to Sacramento and 

 Honey Lake. 



Breeding Season: May 15 to July 15. 



Nest : Deep, cup-shaped, bulky ; usually built between forks of an up- 

 right branch in bushes, near water, 1 to 18 feet from the ground ; 

 made of plant down, dry grasses, shreds of bark, etc. ; lined with 

 fibre, fur, down, and horsehair. 



Eggs: 2 to 4 ; white or pinkish, spotted mostly at larger end with light 

 brown. Size 0.73 X 0.53. 



The Traill Flycatcher is a common summer resident 

 in all suitable localities throughout the United States, 

 but is distinctly a bird of the open country along the 

 alder thickets of the river lands. It is restless and ener- 

 getic, flitting about among the bushes but keeping out 

 of sight except when a too enthusiastic sally after a pass- 

 ing insect betrays its whereabouts. I'ut for tliis and a 

 habit it has of calling out in a fretful tone at the approach 

 of any person, it would never be noticed, so sniall is it 

 and so well conceaU'd bv tlic waving leaves. Its notes 



