PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 425 



its bill. About a week later I found a youug bird which could scarcely 

 lly, and which, on being caught, proved very pugnacious. Its song is a 

 loud prolonged " three deer^''"' the last syllable being much shorter than 

 the lii'st. Both are occasionally prefaced with a short note in a lower 

 key. Its other very common, not unmusical notes, I once copied with 

 the syllables '■'■ eliu-cliii-clm''^ ; again, '■^ pu-pu-pu'''' -^ again, '■'■ pip-pip''\ the 

 notes apparently varying with the individual. These notes follow each 

 other rapidly, sometimes consisting of groups of two, usually of three, 

 occasionally of four, a call almost invariably ending with groups of the 

 same number as that with which it began. It is usually uttered from 

 the top of a dead tree, often two hundred feet from the ground. It 

 appears to prefer the tops of the tallest dead trees as a foraging centre. 

 They utter notes while chasing one another, which I once described as 

 resembling those of Flickers, but I am not now satisfied with that de- 

 scription. 



I 



*Big Trees ! May 2.5,1877 



rto ' July 7,1878 



do i July 16,1878 



*105. Contopus richardsoni, (Swaius. ). — Western Wood Pewee. 



This si>ecies was first noticed at Stockton during the spring of 1878, 

 on May 9, soon after which it became common in all suitable localities. 

 It is common in the jtme forests in summer. It was rare at Murphy's 

 August 27, and was not seen at Stockton in September or later. 



73547 *Miniihy'.s , ,1877 



73994 ■Biy Trees I May 2.5,1877 



73995 I .rto 1 Spring!-. 1877 



74454 -^Stoclvton | Alav 15,1878 



7C002 -..Murphy's 1 Sept.— ,1878 



*106. Empidonax difBcilis, Baird.* — Westiurn Yellow-beUied Flycatcher. 



Only two of these birds were recognized at Stockton in the .sx»ringof 

 1878, the first being noticed on May 1. Two or three were seen, at Big- 

 Trees in July and August. These were in willows at the head of ravines, 

 near springs. Those seen at Stockton were in opent oak groves. 



75318 



d art. i Big Trees | July 27, 1878 



*107. Empidonax pusillus, (S\yaiiis. ). — LitHc Flycaichcr. 



This is a common summer resident at Stoclcton and Marysville. It 

 seems invariably confined to willow thickets, and to occur wherever they 



do, whether in valleys or mountains. 



» 



*Iu my report on the Ornitholojfy of the U. S. Geological Exploration of the 40th 



Parallel (Clarence Kinju;), y». 544, I considered this bird as specifually distinct froui E. 

 Jlavivenlris, chielly on acconnt of supposed great differences in the location and charac- 

 or of the nest and eggs. Facts subscuiuently brought to light, ho\yever, by Messrs. 

 H. A. Purdie and S. D. Osborne (se<; Bitll. Xiiff. Orii. Cluh, Oct. l-^/H, p]). !(>(;, 187), show 

 that the two do not differ in these particidars. Notwithstanding this, the tlifference be- 

 tween the two forms in coloi'ation and j)roportions is so niari<ed that there should 

 never l)e any diflficulty in easily distinguishing them. — R. R. 

 t That is, not darkly shaded, the trees scattering, and with nq undergrowth. 



