FLYCATCHERS 367 



immediately beneath the perch there was an accumulation of droppings 

 indicating occupancy for a considerable time. 



In the woods on the north side of Yosemite Valley west of Rocky Point 

 a wood pewee was seen on her nest on May 18, 1919. This early date of 

 nesting for a species of late arrival indicates that some pairs lose little 

 time in settling down to the important duties of the season. This nest 

 was about 40 feet above the ground on a dead horizontal branch of a black 

 oak, well shaded by the new green foliage above. It was situated at a 

 turn in the branch where two small broken-ended twigs started, and from 

 below, it looked like little more than a slight swelling of the branch. The 

 bird was moving about and seemed to be working on the rim with her 

 bill ; the nest was evidently still in process of construction. She left, to 

 return soon accompanied by her mate, who uttered a series of low notes, 

 per, per, per. She went on the nest again and worked around in it for 

 a few minutes and then again arched her neck, turning her head downward 

 as if modeling or adding again to the rim. 



The nesting season of the wood pewee extends over a long time. In 

 Yosemite Valley on July 27, 1915, a family of full-grown young was seen 

 still attended by the parents, and a similar observation was made at Tenaya 

 Lake on July 29, 1915. Near Merced Lake on August 23, 1915, a Western 

 Wood Pewee was seen in vigorous pursuit of a Sierra Chickaree. The bird 

 was scolding furiously, while the squirrel retreated as fast as possible. 

 Since the wood pewee is known to continue its nesting into August, the 

 bird's repulsion of the squirrel may have been incited by a raid upon 

 its nest. 



The latest records we have for the Western Wood Pewee in the fall 

 are for September 9, 1915, at Walker Lake, and for September 13, 1915, 

 at Agnew Lake, when four were seen in lodgepole pines. The last seen 

 in 1920 on the floor of Yosemite Valley was noted on September 13 

 (C. W. Michael, MS). 



Wright Flycatcher. Empidonax wrighti Baird 



Field characters. — Smaller than Junco. No striking white or bright markings any- 

 where. Whole bird appearing dark grayish brown; color tone on under surface of body 

 yellowish gray; outer surface of closed wing crossed by two light bars; narrow ring 

 around eye, dull whitish, this giving the bird a wide-eyed expression; lower mandible 

 dusky, not yellowish. Perches with drooping wings and tail on prominent twig tips 

 whence it tiits out after insects which fly past. Voice: Call note pit, or swee'pit, some- 

 times a louder ter, tenvliif ; song a varied series of lisping notes, see' pit, wurt'scl, see' pit, 

 swer'zel, see'wurz, etc. 



Occurrence. — Common sunmier visitant to Upper Transition, Canadian, and (less 

 commonly) Hudsonian zones on both slopes of Sierra Nevada. Recorded from Hazel 

 Green and Chinquapin east to Mono Lake Post Office. Highest station, head of Lyell 



