THE BIRD BOOK 



464 — 466 



464a. San Lucas Flycatcher. 



Empidonn.r difficilia rineritius. 



Range. — Lower California. 



This species is similar to, but duller in plum- 

 age than the Western Flycatcher. Their nest- 

 ing habits do not probably vary from those of 

 the latter. 



465. Acadian Flycatcher. Empidonax 

 virescens. 



Range.— Eastern United States, breeding 

 from the Gulf to southern New England, and 

 in the Mississippi Valley to Manitoba. 



This species is very pale below and greenish 

 yellow on the back. They are among the latest 

 of the migrants to reach our 

 borders and arrive in the 

 Middle States about the lat- 

 ter part of May, when they 

 are quite common. They 

 build semi-pensile nests in 

 the forks of bushes or over- 

 hanging branches at heights 

 of from four to twenty feet, the nests being 

 made of rootlets, fibres, fine grasses, etc., and 

 partially suspended from the branch; they are 

 quite shallow and loosely constructed and often 

 appear more like a bunch of debris deposited in 

 the fork by the wind than like the creation of 

 a bird. Their three or four eggs are buffy, spot- 

 ted or specked with brown; size .75 x .55. 



Buffy 



466. Traill's Flycatcher. Emprflona.r trailli trailli. 



Range. — Western North America, from the Mississippi Valley to the Pacific; 

 winters south of the United States. 



This species is very similar to the next, but the back is said 

 to be more brownish. They are common and nest abundantly 

 in thickets and low scrubby woods, usually placing the nest 

 at a low elevation, preferably in a clump of willows; the nests 

 are made of fine strips of bark, plant fibres, and very fine root- 

 lets being woven about and firmly fastened in upright 

 Creamy white crotches. Their eggs, which are laid in June, are buffy white, 

 specked and spotted, chiefly at the large end, with brownish ; sixe .70 x .54. 



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