THE WRIGHT FLYCATCHER. 391 



were to be hearil brisk Scwiciys in the precise fashion of eastern miniums; 

 and at rarer intervals a more intense but still harsh and unresonant Szvec-chezv. 

 These observations were confirmed by the taking of several specimens; but 

 elsewhere and in other seasons I have found the bird most unaccountably 

 silent, and have been able to add little to its repertory of speech. 



In the summer of 1906 we found these Flycatchers preparing nests on 

 Cannon Hill in Spokane. In both instances the birds were building out in the 

 open after the fashion of the \Vestern Wood Pewee (Myiochancs richard- 

 sonii) ; one on the bare limb of a horse-chestnut tree some ten feet from the 

 ground: the other upon an exposed elbow of a picturesque horizontal limb of 

 a pine tree at a height of some sixty feet. Near Newport, in Stevens County, 

 we located a nearly completed nest of this species on the 20th of May, and 

 returned on the ist of June to complete accounts. The nest was placed seven 

 feet from the ti'unk of a tall fir tree, and at a height oi fortv feet. The bird 

 was sitting, and when frightened di\"ed headlong into the nearest thicket, 

 where she skulked silently during our entire stay. The nest proved to be a 

 delicate creation of the finest vegetable materials, weathered leaves, fibers, 

 grasses, etc., carefully inv^'rought, and a considerable quantity of the orange- 

 colored bracts of young fir trees. The lining was of hair, fine grass, bracts, 

 and a single feather. In position the nest might well have been that of a 

 W'ood Pewee; but, altlm it was deeply cupped, it was much broader, and so 

 relatively flatter. The four fresh eggs which it contained were of a delicate 

 cream-color, changing to [jure white upon blowing. 



The Hammond Flycatcher was also found to be a common breeder in the 

 valley of the Stehekin, where Mr. Bowles has taken several sets in very similar 

 situations, viz., upon horizontal l^ranches of fir trees at considerable heiglits. 



No. 151. 



WRIGHT'S FLYCATCHER. 



A. O. U. No. 469. Empidonax wrightii Baird. 



Synonym. — Little Gr-w Flycatcher. 



Description. — Adult (gray phase): Above dull bluish gray or faintly olivace- 

 ous on back and sides ; throat and breast pale gray to whitish with admixture of 

 ill-concealed dusky; remaining parts, posteriorly, faintly tinged with pale prim- 

 rose ; a whitish eye-ring ; wing-markings, of the same pattern as in other species, 

 or more extensive on secondaries and outer webs of tertials, definitely white ; 

 outer web of outermost rectrix pale whitish. Adult (yelloii'-bcllicd phase): As 

 in gray phase, but underparts strongly tinged with yellow and upperparts faintly 

 tinged with olive-green ; wing-markings less purelv white. Bill blackish above, 



